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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29087712">Sweet Potato</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/evilblackbunny/pseuds/evilblackbunny'>evilblackbunny</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Among Us (Video Game)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Canon-Typical Violence, Gen, Implied/Referenced Sexual Harassment, Military Ranks, Named Crewmates, Named Impostors, Nonbinary Character, Other, some impostor lore</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-04-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 11:42:09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>23,536</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29087712</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/evilblackbunny/pseuds/evilblackbunny</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Nobody knew what a tan suit was for until Marron spoke up. Nobody cared what the brown suit had to say until people started dying.</p>
<p>Serves them right.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Crewmate/Impostor (Among Us)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>81</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This isn’t canon compliant because let’s face it these guys are jellybeans and sleeping quarters are needed. The SKELD doesn't function exactly like in-game but that's for simplicity sake. Humans have longer lifespans, the military has changed a LOT since humans left Earth, and I'm just having fun in the end. I hope you are too. I’m bored. The idea wouldn’t go away. My friends think it’s cute? I don’t know anymore.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>/1\</p><p> </p><p>Maybe if the enby had gotten there sooner, they’d have a better choice of colors.</p><p> </p><p>But brown would do.</p><p> </p><p>It was mud and clay and silt and… it was boring.</p><p> </p><p>But brown would do.</p><p> </p><p>The cyan-suited woman next to Marron hissed in sympathy. “Should have come sooner.”</p><p> </p><p>“Mm.” Marron poked their tablet screen, already sorting files for the mission ahead. Were they a little less tired and a little less hungry, this would be an amazing opportunity. The SKELD, a relic lost in time, needed rescue and repair. The war may have ended years ago, but the SKELD had been missing since before the war. It had only shown up on Polus’ radar last month. Commodore Surx, decorated as could be, had assembled a team to get the ship working again by order of Mira HQ!</p><p> </p><p>Why HQ thought an <em>archivist</em> was necessary for this trip? Marron didn’t know. Or care. It’d pay for their apartment at least three months. That was good, they told themself. Six months on a broken down ship with a bunch of assholes. Half these assholes were former classmates. Half those classmates were total assholes.</p><p> </p><p>Great! Too much math involved.</p><p> </p><p>The cyan suit grinned and fiddled with her peachy pixie cut. “But, hey! At least we got on crew together!” She gave a nudge with her elbow. “A-and brown matches your eyes! But green would have matched the hair… maybe you could ask to trade for-”</p><p> </p><p>“Zils, I get it. It’s just a suit.” Marron sighed. “I’m just… moody. I guess. Just…” The archivist folded the tablet away and frowned. “Why am I here again?”</p><p> </p><p>“To take notes, kid.” The red suit, the commodore himself, frowned their way. Hawkish face with an ill-fitting silvered mustache peering out of the helmet’s open visor. “Take notes, stock of damages, write a pretty letter to HQ, get some credit under your belt. Easy money, straightforward job.”</p><p> </p><p>Kid? “Sir, I’m twenty-four.”</p><p> </p><p>Surx huffed. “And I’m ninety-five next month. Half you guys are still beans to me.”</p><p> </p><p>Black suit shrugged from his seat, already strapped in. “At least she said sir, sir.”</p><p> </p><p>“They.” Marron shot the SIC a look. “And who’re you? Like, name? Apparently I gotta jot that down.”</p><p> </p><p>Zils swatted Marron’s shoulder. “Marron, c’mon. Try to play nice!”</p><p> </p><p>“Well, no one asked my name either, so-”</p><p> </p><p>Black suit’s glare could kill a lesser person. He slowed down and pointed to crewmen. “I’m Captain Beltz, the second in command. That’s Commodore Surx, our lead on this excursion.” He pointed to the red suit again, who was waiting back at the entry doors for… something. “Not that hard to keep up.”</p><p> </p><p>Zils shot him a bright, tight grin. “I’m Zils, head medical! It’s nice to meet you.” She turned to the lime suit next to her and smiled brightly. “Who’re you?”</p><p> </p><p>“I’m Cadet Lunti, and this here’s Texotic, same rank.” The lime-suit patted the blue-suit with a forced smile. “<em>I</em> had a history class with Marron.”</p><p> </p><p>“Uh-huh. I remember you.” Prick. Copied other’s homework. Only passed because he had a ‘bright future’ and failing him would ruin that. What a crock. “Having fun yet?”</p><p> </p><p>Lunti grinned, missing their sarcasm completely like the lunkhead he was. “Yeah buddy.”</p><p> </p><p>Orange suit snorted softly, fidgeting with the laptop perched on a crate.</p><p> </p><p>Lunti’s attention was off Marron and hard pinned to the snorter. “Got something to say, Churi?”</p><p> </p><p>“Nah.”</p><p> </p><p>Zils blinked at Churi. “That… I think that was a word.”</p><p> </p><p>“Mm.”</p><p> </p><p>The cyan suit cocked her head a little. “Are you same rank as Lunti and Texotic?”</p><p> </p><p>“Yup.” She frowned at the screen. “We got thirteen registered. I only see-” she stopped to count out loud the people on board- “twelve in here. Sir?” She called to Surx, who was still by the doorway.</p><p> </p><p>Surx didn’t look back but replied. “He’s coming.”</p><p> </p><p>“Who?”</p><p> </p><p>“Lucky Thirteen. Heading up the walk right now.” Surx stepped away from leaning on the doorway and took up the total opening. “Colonel Sandy, welcome aboard.”</p><p> </p><p>The taller crewman stepped into the transport ship. His hair hung to his ears, died a deep shade of blue. His smile was as crooked as his nose. “Sir, sorry for being late.”</p><p> </p><p>The red suit chuckled. “Young man, we’re not heading out for another few minutes. But now we can get everything situated to head out right on time.” He turned and called out. “Everyone, strap in.”</p><p> </p><p>Lunti squinted at the newcomer and elbowed the blue suit next to him. “That’s no color I ever seen.”</p><p> </p><p>Texotic grumbled back, “Good dye job, though.”</p><p> </p><p>“Tan suits are for special reserves in the Planetary branch of military,” Marron muttered as Sandy drew close. “You’d know that if you paid attention in history.”</p><p> </p><p>The lime suit glared and strapped in, Texotic smirking beside him.</p><p> </p><p>Marron sighed quietly as the tan suit took a spot next to their right.</p><p> </p><p>He strapped in quickly and gave the straps a tight snap to lock them before glancing their way. “... last suit, eh?”</p><p> </p><p>“Yup.”</p><p> </p><p>“Hi! I’m Zils.” She stuck her gloved hand out across to Sandy and shook his hand. “This here’s my besty, Marron.” She gave Marron’s green tuft of an undercut a delicate ruffle with her free hand. “Paws off, this one’s mine.” She ended with a giggle and let go of his hand.</p><p> </p><p>“Pick of the litter, eh?”</p><p> </p><p>Marron sank into their suit and glared at the ceiling. “Six months on a ship with you two. Great.”</p><p> </p><p>The cyan suit gave the fluff of green a playful pat as Marron affixed the helmet. “Aw, you know you love me.”</p><p> </p><p>Sandy snorted, then paused. “Wait. Six months?”</p><p> </p><p>“The SKELD is an old model. Older than Surx himself. It wasn’t warp-drive compatible, so it just… floats.” They took out their tablet and typed out a couple of sentences. “We go in, fix it, drive it back home to Polus. Mission done.”</p><p> </p><p>“Six months. No one said six <em>months</em>.”</p><p> </p><p>“Yup.” Marron ended with a smirk. “And we get to warp there in this tin can with another tin can of supplies right behind. Because we <em>totally</em> needed thirteen people for this-”</p><p> </p><p>“Lighten up, ya little turd!” Lunti teased, earning a chuckle from Texotic and a scoff from Churi. The white suit already affixed their helmet, and the yellow suit was staring out the window.</p><p> </p><p>Surx cleared his throat. “Alright, everyone. Listen up! We’ve got a big job ahead of us, and the sooner we get it done, the sooner we can get home. Everyone’s got their roles sorted, everyone’ll get a task list when we dock. All clear?”</p><p> </p><p>“Yes, sir.” Was the general reply.</p><p> </p><p>The red suit cracked his neck to the side and took a seat beside Beltz. “Strap in, boys and girls!”</p><p> </p><p>The pink, purple, and green suits did as told, pink patting purple’s arm as the young man’s hand shook at the buckle. Pink suit ended up strapping purple in, and the green suit rolled his eyes.</p><p> </p><p>The brown suit sighed, checking their straps. The paycheck they’d be getting didn’t sound worth the hassle.</p><p> </p><p>-</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>/2\</p><p> </p><p>Warping <em>always</em> made Marron queasy. But the lunkheads were quiet about that, thank the stars.</p><p> </p><p>Docking and disembarking over, the colorful crew stood either away from each other or at attention, ready for what came next after unloading crate after crate of supplies.</p><p> </p><p>Surx folded his arms at the group before him, Beltz at his side with arms folded behind his back.</p><p> </p><p>“The SKELD, as some of you are aware, was once thought lost to time. But as you can see from our easy docking, the old girl has life in her yet.” His mustache twitched. “Ship went into stasis, saving all energy for only the most basic of tasks. Figuring wiring should be easy, and once we get the reactor running at full strength, we can be on our way back to Polus. That clear?”</p><p> </p><p>Some nodded, some sir-yes-sir’d, and some stayed quiet.</p><p> </p><p>The commodore turned to the crates behind him. “Good. Helmets stay on until we've got oxygen running smoothly.” He lifted a rectangular box off a crate and flipped the lid open. The devices were halfway between antiquated wristwatches and a walkie-talkie. “Alright. Everyone grabs a bracelet. These bad boys are for you to report any findings. Soon as we get communications up and running, we can talk anywhere on board.” He pointed out the many nobs on the sides. “Turn the dial for frequency, hold it down til it clicks for an all-across broadcast. Red button up top is for emergencies.”</p><p> </p><p>The white suit raised a hand. “Sir, what counts as an emergency?”</p><p> </p><p>Surx hummed. “Injuries, ma’am. Or dangerous stuff. See something, say something.”</p><p> </p><p>The white suit nodded. “Uh, sir? It’s…. it’s actually they and them. I-I-”</p><p> </p><p>Someone grumbled at the pronoun game being played.</p><p> </p><p>“Same,” Marron chimed in.</p><p> </p><p>“Theys and thems?”</p><p> </p><p>The brown suit nodded. “We’re… here. I guess.”</p><p> </p><p>“Alright then. Write it down, brown.”</p><p> </p><p>“Yes, sir.” To the letter. They glanced to the white suit. “I’m Marron.”</p><p> </p><p>“Bane. I’m-”</p><p> </p><p>But the commodore cut them off. “And while you’re at it, <em>Marron</em>, look down below.”</p><p> </p><p>The brown suit paused. “Why?”</p><p> </p><p>“Sleeping quarters, kid. Take stock and a bracelet, come back with a report. Nothin’ down there, but beds and bathrooms. There're ladders in security and Admin. Pick your poison.”</p><p> </p><p>An inward sigh. “Yes, sir.”</p><p> </p><p>“As a thank you, you get first dibs on a room.”</p><p> </p><p>“Yay,” they drawled.</p><p> </p><p>“We’ve got dibs on heavy lifting, eh?” Texotic elbowed Churi, getting a withering glare from the orange suit.</p><p> </p><p>Marron took out their tablet and pulled up a map of the ship itself. “Okay. Lower deck. What am I looking for <em>exactly?</em>”</p><p> </p><p>“Which rooms are intact and which ones aren’t. Any tampering, anything weird, any bodies-”</p><p> </p><p>“Bodies?” The yellow suit asked softly. “No one said anything about bodies.”</p><p> </p><p>The black suit crossed his arms. “This sure as shit ain’t a rescue mission.”</p><p> </p><p>When the yellow suit shrank back, Sandy cleared his throat. “Keep in mind, over half the crew isn’t military. No need to be harsh.”</p><p> </p><p>“We’re not here to play patty-cake, Colonel.”</p><p> </p><p>“True, but, uh, adage of grabbing more flies with…”</p><p> </p><p>Marron left the room as the argument built to something more than sarcasm and barbs. They had a job to do, they might as well jump to it.</p><p> </p><p>Ladders were… fun? Maybe fun wasn’t the right word, since the grip tape on the rungs had long rotten off, leaving just metal for their boots to cling to. Maybe there was grip tape on the supply ship. But the hull of the ship held many sleeping quarters, as shown on the map. Eighteen rooms, sixteen with a set of bunk beds, two as bathrooms with cleaning stations located dead smack between the sleeping quarters.</p><p> </p><p>Marron, easing into discomfort with a dry swallow, jotted down that rooms four and seven were crime scenes. Blood long dried to where it held no smell, but the stains remained.</p><p> </p><p>The worst were the dried hand prints raked across the floor as whoever they had belonged to was ripped away into the dark.</p><p> </p><p>Another thing? Someone locked room eleven with a passcode, and no amount of fiddling with the wires outside of the room could get it open. Another dark note for this slowly growing report.</p><p> </p><p>But… Surx said they got first pick of the rooms. Probably to keep them out of the way.</p><p> </p><p>Room sixteen, farthest from all the carnage and reminders, would work. Far from the bathrooms, but close to the ladder leading to Security. Perfect… save for the lights being down. The touch button on the side of the doorway did nothing to light the place. Glancing around, Marron sighed low at the open wire panel on the ceiling.</p><p> </p><p>The ceiling that they could not reach if they jumped as hard as they could.</p><p> </p><p>Well. Wires could wait. Wadding up the old sheets from the bottom bunk, Marron dropped them into a corner to take to cleaning later on. There had to be a clean set of sheets around here somewhere. Top bunk got the same treatment.</p><p> </p><p>Okay, with that out of the way! Marron took off their pack of personal effects and set it on the bottom bunk with a lean and a toss before making their way back to the floor. Sadly, the wires in the ceiling couldn’t be reached from the top bunk, and the bunks were welded to the walls.</p><p> </p><p>The brown suit worried their bottom lip in thought. If there were a chair without wheels, this wouldn’t be so hard! But they’d lick the floor before they climbed in a wheeled chair to fix a ceiling issue. It’d suck to be a casualty because of a chair flying across the room when they’d bent over funny!</p><p> </p><p>“Doing alright down here?”</p><p> </p><p>The brown suit spun, free hand raised in a fist before they sighed at the tan suit in the doorway. “Colonel Sandy, you scared the crap out of me.”</p><p> </p><p>Sandy grinned. “I don’t smell anything. You got magic poo or something?”</p><p> </p><p>Mouth agape, Marron folded their arms, pointing with the hand on top. “Did Surx send you? I can document fine, if he had any doubt.”</p><p> </p><p>“I don’t report to him.”</p><p> </p><p>“You don’t? But he outranks you.”</p><p> </p><p>Sandy wobbled a hand palm down and made a noise. “Different branches. I’m Planetary, but everyone else in military for this is Aeronautic. <em>Beltz</em> reports directly to Surx, who reports to Mira HQ. I report to Mira HQ <em>directly</em>.” He smirked, brows up. “So, I go where I want.”</p><p> </p><p>Marron blinked. “Hate to ask this, but can you help me?”</p><p> </p><p>“Whatcha need?”</p><p> </p><p>The enby pointed at the exposed wires overhead.</p><p> </p><p>Sandy blinked back. “I can’t help much with that.”</p><p> </p><p>“Why n- <em>wait</em>?” The brown suit squinted, brows furrowed. “Are you... colorblind?”</p><p> </p><p>Tan suit’s eyes widened before he shushed them with a quick hand wave. “Tell no one. It usually doesn’t… interfere with what I need to do. It’s why I went to special reserves; I’m not, er… normal.”</p><p> </p><p>“No one’s normal, Sandy. Just… hold me up? You don’t <em>have</em> to, but I’m vertically challenged and could use a stepladder.” They huffed, dark eyes to the doorway. “And if they want me to archive shit properly, I need to get the wires fixed-!”</p><p> </p><p>Sandy stepped forward and lifted Marron up in a stilted, firm motion that put them with Marron’s head above Sandy’s. Plenty tall enough to get the wires up and working.</p><p> </p><p>“Thank you… can you see what I’m doing alright?”</p><p> </p><p>His nose wrinkled, silver eyes narrowed at the dark panel. “Kinda. Why?”</p><p> </p><p>“Gonna show you a trick my mom showed me. Watch close.” They took the red wire and guided it down to the red slot and touched the ends together. “See that light when the wires touch?”</p><p> </p><p>“Yes.”</p><p> </p><p>“Just do that and you’ll have them lined up right. It takes longer, but it’ll work.” They did the wires in a flash and aimed a smirk down at the one holding them up. The lights came on with a soft, warm buzzing. “Most modern ships have symbols on the sides, but the SKELD is… ancient.”</p><p> </p><p>“... kay, that’s easier than just poking around getting zapped, I guess. Thanks.”</p><p> </p><p>The brown suit was about to say something, but a rumble against their calves caught them off guard. “Uh… Colonel?”</p><p> </p><p>The man stared.</p><p> </p><p>“Was that your <em>stomach</em>?”</p><p> </p><p>The stomach growled louder.</p><p> </p><p>Marron’s eyes went wide. “Dude, uh, <em>sir</em>-” He set them onto their feet with little ceremony. “We can hit the cafeteria later if you’re hungry.” They swore the stomach just moved!</p><p> </p><p>Sandy blinked slowly, then his head snapped to the doorway. “Captain Beltz?”</p><p> </p><p>The black suit came into sight a moment after. His scowl made the scar over his left eye dent inward. An ugly, jagged line. “Hell are you doing? Shouldn’t take this long to…” He sneered. “Who turned on the lights?”</p><p> </p><p>Marron stared. “I did.”</p><p> </p><p>“Sandy, this true?”</p><p> </p><p>“Yes? I helped. I was a good stepladder.”</p><p> </p><p>The brown suit frowned. “In order to document properly, I needed lighting-”</p><p> </p><p>But the SIC ignored the archivist, speaking straight to Sandy. “We can’t divert power so the librarian can see her scribbles.”</p><p> </p><p>Marron glared. “Sir, I’m not a <em>her</em>. I told you twice I’m not-”</p><p> </p><p>“I don’t care. Undo the wires and get your asses to the cafe.”</p><p> </p><p>The enby glowered. “You can bark orders all day but can’t remember a fucking pronoun.”</p><p> </p><p>Sandy stepped between them and glared. “Point made, sir. But, and eh, just a suggestion, small thing.”</p><p> </p><p>“Spit it out, colonel. We got shit to do.”</p><p> </p><p>“Get a hearing test.” He raised his hands and grinned. “Now, now, clearly, and I heard it too, clearly! This lovely potato over here is they, not she or he. They’ve said it multiple-”</p><p> </p><p>“You’re way outta line, Sandy.”</p><p> </p><p>“<em>Colonel</em> Sandy, my good man! Same rank, different branches, if you forgot, but it’s okay if your memory’s slipping. Now trust, I am not trying to be rude, but Marron here has said to you multiple times they are they and them, not she and her! I mean, you miss that once it’s one thing, but thrice? That’s troubling! I suggest heading to medical and getting a check-up!” His smile didn’t fade, arms dropping slowly and brows sinking. “Unless you’re doing it on purpose, which… I don’t think Commodore Surx would like that. It’s <em>harassment</em>, you see. Maybe things are different in Aeronautic Defense, but in Planetary, you'd face harassment charges… sir.”</p><p> </p><p>The older man glared so that it’d melt steel beams, then focused back onto Marron. “Just get your asses up to cafeteria.” The black suit turned and left them alone. The tension of his shoulders and stride proved he hadn’t enjoyed being cowed by the grinning tan suit.</p><p> </p><p>Sandy’s smile finally faded from bright threat to lax curve. “Right away… unless you’ve got more to do here, mux?”</p><p> </p><p>The brown suit shook their head. “No. I’m done here… and thank you for that.”</p><p> </p><p>A snort of a laugh. “For telling Beltz to play nice? Stars, Marron, you greeted me with a raised fist! You don’t need my help… unless you need my services as a stepladder, I mean.”</p><p> </p><p>“Well.. and using mux. <em>Nobody</em> uses mux.” The enby raised an eyebrow. “Or potato!”</p><p> </p><p>“Well… the hair and the suit kinda… I think… Anyway!” He grinned and speed-walked out of the room. “Let’s get to it!”</p><p> </p><p>Marron, confused as all get-out, followed Sandy up the ladder to security where they’d come in. The emergency lights still lit the floor, but overheads were still off. Seemed the crew quarters and upper level ran on different power supplies.</p><p> </p><p>“Huh.” Sandy looked around the security room. “Guess Beltz made tracks. Thought he’d be here. Cams aren’t up yet, but…” He squinted. “Marron?”</p><p> </p><p>The brown suit swung their legs around to get into security. “What’s up?”</p><p> </p><p>“You good at wiring or just a one-off?”</p><p> </p><p>“Why?”</p><p> </p><p>“Cams are down. I’ll head to cafeteria and let them know you’re coming if you wanna take a crack at it.”</p><p> </p><p>The brown suit shrugged. “I can look. Maybe get an idea of what’s wrong.”</p><p> </p><p>“Great. See you then.” Sandy gave a mock salute and turned right out the doors.</p><p> </p><p>The brown suit stood, watching where he’d gone. Friendly man, with a hell of a stomach. A couple minutes of poking at the panels showed that, no, Marron couldn’t do anything without a screwdriver. The archivist stood fully and paused. Why was it so dark suddenly? Where were the emergency lights on the floor?</p><p> </p><p>“Shit.” They turned and left the security room, turning left towards where the map said electrical was. The enby took time to examine the maps of the SKELD before take off, getting an idea of the schematics, the tasks, how the thing flew when it was so bulky. But Electrical? Just some switches to flip and they could all see again. Hand to the wall, they moved down to the lower engine and to the doorway, grumbling at the doors going to electric being stuck shut-</p><p> </p><p>-something tripped them and the brown suit fell over onto their front with a yelp. Something splashed against their chest, sticky and smelling like raw meat up close…</p><p> </p><p>The lights came back, the doors going to electric opened, and Marron’s mind took a minute to get full the picture of what had tripped them.</p><p> </p><p>Bane lay dead, speared from behind through the chest. Crimson blood cooled and darkened, coating the floor, the brown suit, and the once-pristine white suit.</p><p> </p><p>Marron screamed.</p><p> </p><p>-</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>See you next week.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>/3\</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Alright, Marron,” Surx bored holes into the deadpan crew mate, brows sunk low. “You tell me what happened one more time.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Cold without their suit, and having Zils nearby, Marron tried <em>again</em>. “I was in security with Colonel Sandy. He left, and I left a few minutes after. He went to medical, I went to electrical because the lights were out. I-” They swallowed the bile that tinged their tongue- “I tripped over something and the lights came back on. Bane was d-dead in lower engines. Sir.” Stabbed through the back with something so sharp and powerful it cut through suit, bone, muscle and suit again in one, horrid blow.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The red suit nodded and stood. “Understood. Someone on board isn’t who they claim to be, and one of our crew mates is dead.” His cold gaze didn’t soften as he started at the brown suit, now suitless. “You sit tight with Zils here and we’ll come back for you later.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>A nod. No words to form sir. The commodore was gone, and a warm, fluffy blanket was thrown over Marron’s exposed shoulders and arms.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The cyan suit wasn’t smiling as she came around. “You okay?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Mm… no?” They shuffled and pulled the blanket closer. “Just tripped over a corpse and got blood everywhere.” Marron looked up. “How come you’re okay?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>She managed a soft smile. “Medic. Bane’s death was scary for you because you aren’t used to these things. I am.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>They shuffled. “I studied our history, but seeing blood and reading the word are very different.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Yup. But… we’ll get your suit cleaned up and then we can talk to the commodore, or the captain… maybe the colonel.” Zils grinned a little. “He seemed to like you.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>A sigh. “Yes, well… if he’s into murder suspects, maybe.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“<span>Marron, </span><span><em>we</em></span><span> know you didn’t do anything!” She looked up at the pink suit who was done examining the corpse hidden behind a screen. “Or at least, I </span><span>know</span><span>.”</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Jambon hummed as he got closer to the pair. “I don’t think it was Marron, either.” His focus went to the cyan suit. “The force of the impalement was enough to puncture the backing of the suit, several ribs, and come back out of the front of the suit.” His amber gaze switched to Marron. “Unless you’ve got a hydraulic javelin under your shirt? This wasn’t you. Do you have a hydraulic javelin under your shirt?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“No.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Then this wasn’t you.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>A knock at the doorway, and a tan suit leaned into view. “Hey there.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Hi.” Marron longed to curl into a ball and drop dead.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Sandy stayed in the doorway and managed a smile. A brown roll of fabric lay under his left arm. “So… commodore Surx has decided to, uh, put up the evidence and let it go to a vote on what happens next.” His smile slipped. “I firmly believe you’ll be fine.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Why wouldn’t I be fine? Worst they can do is put me in a hold… right?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Sandy grit his teeth. “Not exactly, eh… there’s been a spike in activity from the Impostor species as of late. HQ has asked that we take no chances on the matter.” His grin came back, forced as it was. “But! I have faith that you’ll be fine. You know why?” The tall man strode into the medical room and handed Marron their cleaned suit.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>They took it, dark eyes on Sandy’s smiling face. “Why?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>His bright voice lowered. “Because I, like these lovely doctors, don’t think you did it. That’s at least three votes, yeah?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“...yeah.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Sandy nodded and turned back out of the medical wing. “Suit up and come to the cafeteria. We’ll be waiting.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>-</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Alright. To the best of your ability, everyone tell me where you were.” The commodore sat at the table with hands folded, Beltz to his right and Sandy to his left. “I’ll start. I was in cafeteria, waiting for everyone to get here for a briefing. Colonel, where were you?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I was in medical. Zils and Jambon were there.” He looked to the pink and cyan suits beside him.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I can confirm this,” said Zils.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Same,” Jambon muttered. “I was using the restroom when Sandy entered, but I can confirm I saw him in medical when the body was discovered.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The yellow suit, Geel, sighed. “Lunti and Texotic were with me in electrical.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The two lunkheads nodded in agreement.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Glass, the green suit, spoke next. “I was with Orange in O2.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Churi shook her head. “No. We were together in Navigation, not O2.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Pretty sure it was O2.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The orange suit glared. “We were in Navigation. Look at your map next time.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I was leaving security to electrical and… found Bane.” Marron finished quietly.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The purple suit nodded. “I can confirm that Marron was in security. I saw her go by while I was calibrating.” He blinked. “Wait… she or they?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“They.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Right. Sorry. <em>They</em> were in security.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Beltz nodded. “And I was with the commodore here, waiting on all of you.” He scowled at Marron a moment and then back at Surx. “Well, sir? What do we do?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The commodore hummed and scratched his temple. “We skip votes for now. There’s not enough evidence to designate who may have killed Bane.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The black suit blinked. “Sir, it’s obvious who it was.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Then why don’t I see it as obvious, captain?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Beltz’s face melted between anger and disbelief. “Sir, she’s-”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“They,” Sandy corrected with a sharp look. “Marron finding the body does not mean they caused Bane’s death.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Sir?” Zils asked quietly from where she sat.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Ma’am,” Surx acknowledged.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“The way Bane died isn’t physically possible for any human to pull off, let alone Marron. The angle, force, and weapon contradict everything that could make Marron be the culprit.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Beltz scoffed. “Ain’t you and Marron buddy-buddy? Sure acted that way on the ride up. Far as I’m concerned, that’s enough to put your observations under some sort of scrutiny.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Jambon frowned. “I only just met Marron and I agree with the findings. Hell, <em>I’m</em> the one who found those findings and nothing says it’s them.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Sir, permission to speak, sir.” Lunti said.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Surx nodded. “Granted.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The lime suit grimaced. “I gotta agree with the medics, sir. <em>I</em> knew Marron back in college, and they’re kinda… weak? Like, not in a bad way just… brownie couldn’t throw a punch to save their life.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Sandy sighed. “Well then, I think we’re done here. <em>I’m</em> sure done here. So commodore Surx, we’re skipping the vote?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He nodded, glancing at the crew across from him. “Bane’s death is unfortunate and unexpected. However, we have a role to fill and our orders underway. Finish your tasks for today, log them, and pick out your rooms. Try to stay in groups or pairs if at all possible. Dismissed.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The shrunken group dispersed, save for Marron and Zils.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Beltz thinks I did it,” the brown suit mumbled.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“<em>I</em> know you didn’t. So do a couple others.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Marron shook their head, their green shock of hair swishing enough to hear. “The SIC accused me, Zils. If enough people want me gone, I’ll be gone. Just promise to take care of my hamster.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The medic pulled her friend into a hug. “Don’t worry about that right now, okay?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Okay.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>-</p>
<p> </p>
<p>They worried enough to be <em>aware</em>.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Marron couldn't care less about being avoided by crew mates. They’d always been closer to being a loner than a socialite. Zils was the talker between them both. The enby couldn’t deny that being avoided stung, but it wasn’t unexpected. Still, two weeks into this mission, no one else died! That had to be a good sign, at least.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Sandy would go out of his way to check on them. Usually a quick question, a sly joke, but always being friendly. Hell, he was friendly with everybody, for all that did him. Not everyone appreciated his verbosity, his wit, his crooked smile. But the brown suit would rather have Sandy on their side than not.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>But progress </span>
  <span>on fixing the SKELD </span>
  <span>was, sadly, slow. </span>
  <span>Painfully</span>
  <span> slow. Enough so that Marron actually had more free time than </span>
  <span>time spent</span>
  <span> documenting. </span>
  <span>Free time was utilized </span>
  <span>for a medical scan from Zils, who insisted they be the test subject once the scanner was up and running. Results wouldn’t be ready </span>
  <span>until</span>
  <span> who knew when, with tech so simple and old… but Marron didn’t mind. If it helped Zils and Jambon do their jobs, at least. </span>
  <span>The hyper-ox cabbage was doing a great job making oxygen for the ship, though. Helmets were optional, rather than mandatory.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>All they had to do today was write down info on the reactor and how that was coming along. The enby made their way down, hearing chatter from within.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“-need therapy, not special treatment.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“What, like, shock treatment?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I’d ask, but sensitivity training is a thing. I‘d rather play along than sit in a classroom to learn about pronouns again.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Marron’s heart sank, but not much, already hung so low. Someone was always talking out of their assholes.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Yeah, yeah. So who d’you think she’s screwing?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Go be gross somewhere else.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I mean it! They didn’t boot her cuz she’s good in bed, I bet.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>A snort. “Or they don’t want to explain why the only ones dead are the nonbinaries.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Non-what?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Not a male or female. Just more words no one cares about.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Still, steeled as they could be, the brown suit entered the reactor to find Glass and Roxo. The green suit was leaning on the wall, but the purple suit didn’t look up from the panel. “Gentlemen.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Glass startled and skidded back. “Stars ablaze, put a bell on you!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“No thanks.” Dark eyes focused on Roxo. “Commodore wants a report on the reactor.” They eyed Glass as he pretended to fix a power router by the reactor doors and opened their tablet. “Any updates?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Well, the readings showed that the reactor was put into stasis to prevent an overload. I found and fixed the faulty circuit, and it should run smoothly. Easy fix. All that’s left to do is to unlock manifolds.” He blinked. “Got all that, mux?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Mm hmm.” Two faced brown nosing asshole. At least Sandy meant it when he called them mux instead of sir or ma’am.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Then I’m gonna get those manifolds and we’ll be good to go.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Have at.” They turned away and finished their report with a few quick clicks, folding the device shut and tucking it away. A flashing, blue light caught their attention, sky blue and hand-shaped up against the wall. “Uh, Roxo, what’s this? The hand print on the wall, what’s it for?” They asked, just in time for the lights to go down. “Oh, come on,” they whined in the dark.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>There was a sharp crunch and thump behind the brown suit.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Marron’s breathing stilled, heart beating faster and faster. No way. No way in hell.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Hell happened to the lights?” the green suit asked.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I…” They turned around just as the other did, and looked down. The lights came back on with a soft humming noise.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Glass backed away from the purple corpse, beady eyes wide and back to the corner. “Holy shit!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Call it,” Marron said, eyes on the back of Roxo’s head. His face was to the floor but his stomach was to the ceiling.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You killed him!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The brown suit snapped their head up and shouted “Shut the hell up and call it in! Use the bracelet thing!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I don’t have mine ya dumb bitch!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Useless shithead,” Marron grumbled before hitting the emergency button on their watch. “Don’t run.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Why? I next?” He scooted closer to the door. Footsteps thundered closer from the direction of electrical.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“If you run they might suspect you so just stay over there!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I’m not who killed him!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Me neither, asshole!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Beltz got to them first. “Both of you, hands up!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Marron raised both hands head high, but Glass pointed Marron’s way with a shaking hand. “She’s fucking crazy!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I said hands up! Now!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Surx charged in and grabbed Marron’s wrists, pinning them behind their back. Cold, thin cuffs linked their hands and the brown suit glared at the green suit still refusing to comply.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Sandy charged into the room, shouldered past Beltz and grasped Glass by the near arm, all but hurling him to the floor. “Hands back, now.” He grabbed a wrist and tugged before shouting “Beltz, stop gaping and help me!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Marron shook their head, looking anywhere but Roxo’s cooling corpse. “This wasn’t me, sir. I’m telling you, this wasn’t me.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>But Surx tugged Marron up onto their feet and lead them out of the reactor without a word.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>-</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>/4\</p>
<p> </p>
<p>No blood or blanket this time. No kind words from Zils or Sandy, either.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Marron sat alone at one table, Glass at another in the opposite corner. Commodore Surx was with the medics over in medical, discussing the purple corpse they had on their hands. Texotic and Lunti stood at attention, spacers between the two suspects. As for the rest of the crew? Marron could only guess.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Sandy had his arms folded before his chest, brows creased in a scowl that’d make a black hole think twice. Whatever Glass was saying didn’t make his scowl fade.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Eyes on me,” Beltz said.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Marron looked back to the black suit and tried to keep their face calm.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Gonna ask <em>again</em> what happened.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Sir.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Again, ma’am.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Screw it. “They and them, <em>sir</em>. If you’re gonna throw me into space, at least get my stupid pronouns right.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The black suit got nose to nose with them and growled, “I don’t give a shit. I know you’re behind the deaths of two crewmen.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>His breath stank of last night’s pizza. “Then why not shove me out the airlock and get your good boy point already?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Beltz sneered. “We do things by the book, but if you keep giving me shit, I might.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Marron fought the urge to roll their eyes and leaned away. “I was doing the task assigned by the commodore to get a report on the reactor. Roxo and Glass were already there. I turned my back to examine a light on the wall when the lights went out. I turned around as Glass did and Roxo was dead on the floor.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Beltz stood fully and left Marron alone without a word. He gave Sandy a slap to the shoulder and aimed a thumb Marron’s way, and the tan suit quickly made his way over. The scowl that could cool lava was gone, replaced with the tight-lipped worry of a budding friend.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>His lips parted, sucking air softly through his teeth. “Marron, I’ll be honest, this doesn’t look good.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>A sigh and a lean back. “I know. You wanna hear my side or what?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He crouched, now looking up at them. “Tell me.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>They did.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Alright.” He stood, scratching the back of his head. “That… makes sense. Close to what Glass said. Right now, we’re just waiting on the commodore and medical to give their verdict.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Verdict?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Gah, wrong word.” He held his hands up in a placatory palm out way, eyes wide. “We’re still putting it to a vote. I just meant-”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The doors to cafeteria opened. The rest of the crew flanked Surx, Churi bringing up the rear. The commodore gave a hand signal to the cadets, and they pulled their respective charges from their spots on the cafeteria benches.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Slowly seating themselves around the center table, the trial began.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“As you are all aware, there has been a <em>second</em> murder on this vessel. The suspected Impostors have been questioned by Colonel Sandy and Captain Beltz.” Surx turned to Beltz first. “What have you gathered?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The black suit had the sense to not appear smug. “They’re both suspicious, sir, but I have more reason to suspect Marron than Glass. Marron has been suspected before, while Glass has not.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“And you, Colonel?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I believe they are <em>both</em> being truthful. Because of past evidence, I firmly believe that Marron did not commit this murder or the one prior.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“What evidence might that be?” Beltz asked, brows sunk low and nose wrinkling.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Sandy didn’t flinch. “That it would take more force than a human can give to kill Bane how they were killed, and that a human of Marron’s stature and power cannot snap a human neck.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“But Glass does?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The colonel blinked. “The medics would know better than I would, sir.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p><span>All focus fell to the cyan and pink suits. “Right.” Zils began with an x-ray on her tablet. “Roxo’s neck wasn’t just broken, but twisted completely around. </span><span>The force </span><span>cracked</span><span> the fourth cervical vertebrae in </span><span>multiple places, the spinal cord itself nearly cut through from the rotation of the neck.</span> <span>Knowing this, the</span><span> force required to do this action is six times the strength of an average human. To do it quickly </span><span><em>and</em></span><span> silently as what happened to Roxo was beyond human capacity.”</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>The crew exchanged unsure glances, but Marron refused to look up.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Surx gave a nod. “Anything to add, Jambon?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Not at this time, no.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Beltz sighed and tapped the table. “How can we honestly trust what this medic says? She and Marron are certified friends from what I hear.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Surx shot back, “And you seem to hate Sandy sure as dirt. Should we ignore everything you say about him cuz you hate his guts?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The black suit gaped, but shook his head. “Why’s everyone so set on protecting this… person?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The cyan suit’s green eyes narrowed, and her lips drew back across her teeth. “Because, <em>sir</em>, Marron <em>also</em> has a scan in medical. It finished processing today.” She clicked a couple buttons on the table, and a 3D image of Marron popped up. It gave an unobstructed view of everything from blood type to bone structure, revealing a perfectly normal skeleton. “Forgive me for breaking doctor patient confidentiality, but you’ve been on Marron since the first body was-”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Beltz pounded a fist on the table and shouted, “Two bodies found by the same person and you wanna tell me your scan proves she didn’t do it?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“The fact it’s <em>physically impossible for </em><em>a</em><em> human</em> to have killed in such a manner seems to escape you.” The pink suit folded his arms and sent the black suit a stern glare. “Captain Beltz, even after mine and Zils evidence stating that Marron could not kill anyone in the manner in which these people have died, you continue to accuse them. Whatever vendetta you’ve conjured up is hampering your judgment on this.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Surx grumbled, “Anything else, besides sniping at each other like children?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The cyan suit nodded. “The force needed to pierce a travel-grade suit <em>and</em> thoracic cavity twice over, like Bane’s death, requires more force than any human can exude. The same for the snapped neck of Roxo; these deaths were not caused by human means, and the scan has proven that Marron is just that! A human! No room for doubt! Has the right amount of bones and everything! Two hundred and six! I even counted twice! I cannot make this anymore clear to you!” She clicked off the display and snapped her focus to the red suit. “What do <em>you</em> think, commodore? Do you still think your captain is right about my friend?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Surx shook his head. “No, I do not.” He stood and glanced at Glass. “It makes more sense that it was Glass.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>A confused murmur rolled across the crew.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The green suit blanched, eyes wide. “Me? How!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You were in the reactor when Roxo was killed, but you didn’t report it. When Marron alerted you, you let them make the call, knowing they were already a suspect. You also lied about your location when Bane was discovered. You were in Navigation when you <em>said</em> you were in O2. Hell, your task logs show that of the tasks assigned to you, only a peck of the bushel get done.” The red suit narrowed his eyes. “You have anything to say to that, Glass?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“It wasn’t me! Stars above, you’re buying this shit?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Beltz glared. “<em>I’m</em> not.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“We were <em>not</em> asking you, Beltz.” Sandy glanced at Marron. “Marron, what was Glass doing in reactor?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Shooting the shit with Roxo and diverting power.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Silver eyes narrowed and fixed onto the green suit. “Divert power in reactor?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Yes. Or, it looked like that’s what he was doing?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Sandy set his jaw and closed his eyes. “That diverter doesn’t work. It’s not wired into anything. There’s not even a slide switch for a reactor in electrical.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The green suit jumped up, trying to point at Marron only to be pushed down by Lunti. “You’re really gonna let this little shit live!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You’ve been hiding in navigation and dodging cameras left and right. You’ve also refused to be examined by our medical team or wear your bracelet, as I’ve been told by Zils over the course of this excursion.” Sandy spoke quietly from where he sat, silver eyes watching the emergency button. His eyes turned steely and pinned Glass with a sneer. “Brown and green can look a <em>lot</em> alike in the dark, too. Especially with red lights blaring a warning. Bet you were banking on that to work next.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Glass shook his head. “Y-you’re fucking crazy! It’s Marron! I saw it happen!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Sandy squinted. “Did you? Because a few minutes ago when I asked for you to repeat your side, you said you turned and found Roxo dead. Now you’re saying you <em>saw</em> Marron do it? You either lied before or are lying now. Which one?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The commodore cut the two off. “Enough. We have what we need. Everyone, cast your votes using your bracelets. They are anonymous, so no need to play favorites.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The crewmates punched in their choices one by one, over and done with in a matter of seconds.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Everyone voted?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Nods. Yes-sirs.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Alright.” The commodore tapped a button on the table, not the emergency one, but one next to the 3D display. A simplified version of the crew, along with names, popped up.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Two votes undecided.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Three for Marron.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Four for Glass.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“It’s done.” The commodore looked to the blue and lime suits, and gave a nod. “Take him to the airlock.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Yes, sir.” Said in sync like it were any other order.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Glass let out a strangled noise as the lime and blue suits hoisted him up, taking him down a hallway to the airlock.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The red suit sighed, low and gruff, and stood up. “Beltz, uncuff Marron.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The black suit’s mouth twitched, a snarl fighting its way across his face, but he gave a nod and undid Marron’s cuffs.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The brown suit rubbed their wrists at the angry, red dents the cuffs pressed into the flesh. Their palms tingled as blood flow returned.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Commodore Surx gave a nod and looked across at the remaining members. “You are all dismissed, save for Marron, Colonel Sandy and Captain Beltz. You three, meet me in the communications office. Understood?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Yes, sir,” Beltz said.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The tan suit gave a nod. “Aye, sir.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Yes, sir.” But even now, their life handed back like it wasn’t almost forfeit, the brown suit’s heart felt at home resting low in Marron’s chest.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>-</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>/5\</p><p> </p><p>Ten minutes shouldn’t have felt like eternity, but time was different when there were three angry men on the other side of the door. Glancing at their bracelet showed the time, sure, but it didn’t help scoot things along.</p><p> </p><p>No scooting required. The doors to communications opened with a low hiss.</p><p> </p><p>Beltz stepped out and stormed towards shields without a word, and Sandy was out soon after. The commodore looked close to burning holes into Sandy’s back.</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>S</span>
  <span>urx </span>
  <span>broke contact and gave</span>
  <span> Marron a nod, </span>
  <span>then</span>
  <span> turned away as the doors shut.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>Sandy looked down at Marron, but his smile was missing. “Well, Marron, Surx has tasked me with, er, monitoring you. For the time being.”</p><p> </p><p>Oh shit. “But I’m not-”</p><p> </p><p>“Yes, I know. I know you are <em>not</em> the impostor, Marron, just… listen to me.” He sighed through his nose and scowled at the floor. “Can we talk in the cafeteria? That alright with you?”</p><p> </p><p>The brown suit sighed, peering up at him. “I’m not all that hungry. I almost got launched into space.”</p><p> </p><p>“Mm. True. But it’ll look better if we’re seen together. I’ll explain when we get seated, okay?”</p><p> </p><p>Like they had a <em>choice</em>.</p><p> </p><p>-</p><p> </p><p>Okay. Maybe they <em>were</em> hungry. Anxiety could slap the appetite off a wild dog, but how could Marron say no to hot food and a talk with Sandy?</p><p> </p><p>The mac-and-cheese looked good, opting for the dinner portion. How food worked on the SKELD was surprisingly easy. A massive, under-the-floor vending machine with rotating options, with half the food supply being pizza thanks to portability. Never let it be said humans didn’t know how important food options were for not going crazy out in space, old ship or not…</p><p> </p><p>But… noodles. Cheese. Comfort food. Easy.</p><p> </p><p>Sandy had opted for chicken cutlet with veggie medley that looked more like broccoli and chives than an actual medley. A single slice of carrot peeked out from the mound of greenery.</p><p> </p><p>“How’s yours?” He asked.</p><p> </p><p>Overcooked and under-salted. “Mm. It’s edible.”</p><p> </p><p>Sandy snickered. “Guess so. Lab-grown meat. Never gonna get who came up with that.”</p><p> </p><p>“Lagomorpha Dombri. Her work is the source of your suspicious cutlet.”</p><p> </p><p>He blinked, eyes bright. “Really?”</p><p> </p><p>“She was also on the team that developed the hyper-ox plants. But went into lab-grown meat when chickens started dying out.” Marron shrugged. “Human history is, uh, kinda my thing.”</p><p> </p><p>“Now I know! Now then.” He dropped his hand at the wrist, pointing at nothing with his fork. “About our arrangement? You’re not in trouble.”</p><p> </p><p>“Okay.” Stirring their noodles was easier than looking up.</p><p> </p><p>“Truth is, Marron, it’s… <em>not</em> just to monitor you. It’s also to keep a look out for a certain captain.”</p><p> </p><p>Stirring paused. Hold up. “What for?”</p><p> </p><p>“A certain captain has shown he’s a bit too keen on pinning a verdict, even with evidence stating the obvious fact that our favorite potato is-” He stopped and stared dead at Marron then, eyes wide- “Wait, is potato alright? It’s because of the suit, not, er, body type or something like that. Not… I’m not like that.”</p><p> </p><p>The enby fought a smile. “It’s fine, Sandy. The hair doesn’t help.” But they <em>loved</em> green and wouldn’t change that for a doubled paycheck.</p><p> </p><p>“Oh, good. Now, anyway.” His relieved grin snapped back to serious stare-down with the ominous chicken cutlet. “Our favorite potato is innocent of murder.”</p><p> </p><p>They smirked. “How’d’you even say that with a straight face?”</p><p> </p><p>“Military precision. Now then… the hard part.” He cut off a chunk of cutlet and carefully brought it to his mouth. He looked more like he was about to swallow an old sock than lab-grown bird breast. But the man took a bite and swallowed, apprehension gone. “Huh. Not bad. Anyway, hard part is sleeping arrangements.”</p><p> </p><p>The scoop of mac didn’t slow as Marron took their bite. “Mm?”</p><p> </p><p>“Surx wants me at least across the hall from you. At most, in the same room. But that’s based on <em>your</em> comfort level.”</p><p> </p><p>“You can take a bunk. I don’t mind. Do you snore?”</p><p> </p><p>“Nah.”</p><p> </p><p>“Then <em>you</em> get the top bunk.”</p><p> </p><p>“Ha! Nice. Not a fan of heights?”</p><p> </p><p>Marron shot him a sly grin. “Well, I mean… if I fell out, I’d be a mashed potato.”</p><p> </p><p>It was worth it to see him choke on his food.</p><p> </p><p>-</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The first few days with Sandy following them around were pretty easy, to say the least. They’d coordinate tasks with one another to figure the fastest way to get things done. Sandy was no slouch with tasks, especially after watching Marron do </span>
  <span>some</span>
  <span> on their own.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>Zils grinned at Marron over lunch one day. Surx had called Sandy away for a private meeting with the commodore and the captain, but Marron didn’t worry. They and Sandy had gotten most of their tasks done for the day. The ship, old as she was, needed fresh maintenance every day. The role of archivist didn’t mean they didn’t have work on their plate.</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>... though Marron liked corn chowder more than pruning the giant plant in O2. Their fault for picking a minor in agriculture. </span>
  <span>Shame about the SKELD not being equipped with plankton vats. The poor cabbage was already looking kinda pale.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>“So…”</p><p> </p><p>“Sew buttons on balloons.”</p><p> </p><p>The cyan suit giggled over her pasta salad. “So, what do you think of Sandy?”</p><p> </p><p>The brown suit blinked. Not like the arrangement was a secret. “I… think he’s efficient. Funny. Good guy to have on board.”</p><p> </p><p>Her smile slipped. “That’s it?”</p><p> </p><p>“Well yeah, Zils, he’s just keeping an eye on me to make sure I don’t get shanked in electrical. We’re not married.”</p><p> </p><p>Zils almost spit up her food laughing. “Oh, stars, Marron! I’m teasing you!”</p><p> </p><p>A spoon of soup. “I’m teasing back.” Soup finished, the brown suit loaded up their bowl and spoon into the washing station, noting Zils close behind. “You done, too?”</p><p> </p><p>“Yup. Bowl empty, belly full. You’re getting enough to eat, right?”</p><p> </p><p>Marron lay a hand across the fabric of their suit, splayed across their noticeable chub. “I’ve got reserves.”</p><p> </p><p>The medic shook her head with a smile, then looked up to see a tan suit coming their way. Her green eyes slid from Sandy back to her friend, smile gaining teeth and mischief. “Well, mux Archivist, I’ll let you and the colonel get back to playing peekaboo!” With a wink and a spin, she floated off to the medical wing, shoulders shaking with hidden laughter.</p><p> </p><p>Sandy’s brows sat crooked, one up near to his hairline as silver eyes fixed onto Marron. “Peekaboo?”</p><p> </p><p>“Sandy, trust me. Better not to ask.” The enby dropped off their dirty dishes at the conveyor. “Anyway, any changes to the arrangement?”</p><p> </p><p>“Nope. Back to work for us then!”</p><p> </p><p>“You sure you don’t want lunch?”</p><p> </p><p>“I had a protein shake on my way there.”</p><p> </p><p>The archivist grimaced. “Ew, you actually- wait. What flavor?”</p><p> </p><p>“Er… strawberry?”</p><p> </p><p>The archivist grimaced harder. “You actually like those?”</p><p> </p><p>“Says the only person I know that’d eat corn chowder!”</p><p> </p><p>“What’s wrong with corn chowder?”</p><p> </p><p>“Have you looked at it?”<br/><br/>“Yeah, I had a bowl for lunch.”<br/><br/>“You eat too much and you’ll turn into one!”<br/><br/>“I’ll turn into a bowl of chowder?”<br/><br/>“… in my defense, I’m a little stupid.”</p><p> </p><p>-</p><p> </p><p>Mundane beat murder mystery. Day forty-three came to a close, and the ship was finally in working condition. The humming brown noise of the engine was not a deafening roar but a tired purr.</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Tucked in for the night, Marron’s tablet filled with information from the day, as it had for the last </span>
  <span>forty-three</span>
  <span>. Sandy was up in the </span>
  <span>bunk</span>
  <span> above, freshly washed and ready for the day to be done. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>They had a routine. Marron liked routine.</p><p> </p><p>Then Sandy broke it with a question from the bunk overhead. “So… I was meaning to ask. Not big, not trying to pry. Just curious about something.”</p><p> </p><p>“Just a minute.” The report finished with a tap of the send button, and the tablet fell back onto Marron’s stomach, screen down. “Go on.”</p><p> </p><p>“How’d’you get on this mission?”</p><p> </p><p>“... I’m not sure what you mean?”</p><p> </p><p>“I got names of who I’m working with, but not much else.” His voice lowered. “I’ve heard of Zils as a medic, valedictorian! Accolades galore! Surx and Beltz are fellow military, and the rest are cadets, repair, or learning under someone else. But you? If you’re here as something as important as archivist, then you’ve got to have something under your belt.” He sighed. “But if that’s an overstep-”</p><p> </p><p>“What do you wanna know?” Better to cut him off before he got too chatty. This late they’d be up until morning.</p><p> </p><p>Sandy stayed silent a minute before he slowly asked, “What do you feel safe telling me?”</p><p> </p><p>... might as well spill the beans. “I’m the impostor.”</p><p> </p><p>“No, you’re not. <em>I’m</em> the impostor.”</p><p> </p><p>“If you’re the impostor, I’ll eat my tablet.” Nothing like a tasteless joke to break the tension. “Sandy, I’m… not proud of what humans have done in the past.” A pause to test the waters.</p><p> </p><p>“Go on.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Brown eyes shut, the words rolling freely. </span>
  <span>“I went to college to learn agriculture, but then I took a history class and I was hooked. I worked in the libraries, I </span>
  <span>studied</span>
  <span> my ass off to get papers published, I learned and I dug and I found out so much more than I think </span>
  <span>my teachers</span>
  <span> meant me to about the past of the human race.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>When he didn’t speak, they started up again.</p><p> </p><p>“Sandy… thing is, we’re <em>monsters</em>. Other species work with us to keep the peace, but our history shows how evil we can be. I dug for all the info I could find, and by the time I saw the big picture, I had a bachelor’s in Human History. This here? Me on this ship? Work experience. My professor put in a friendly word with Mira and here we are… still don’t know why this needs a bachelor instead of an associate.”</p><p> </p><p>“Safety precaution? Get someone who’s already done with learning and knows what they want?”</p><p> </p><p>“Maybe. But archivist is just a fancy word.”</p><p> </p><p>“... well. That sucks. Was there, uh, a defining event?”</p><p> </p><p>Here went nothing. “... would you believe it was the war?”</p><p> </p><p>“At this point, I’d believe Polus was made of ice cream.”</p><p> </p><p>At least he didn’t start name-calling. “I… don’t like what we did. Humans invaded their planet and took it over using their own tech. Were we the same species, what we did would be called a genocide.” Marron finally opened their eyes, staring at the drawn-on stars above their bunk. Not their drawings, but they made the archivist ache for whoever had been here before them. “Humans… we do that. Or we <em>did</em> back on Earth. Hundreds of years ago, I mean. Live experiments, blast testing, chemical warfare...” The brown suit swallowed. “If the winners write history, I’d feel better losing. Humans back up the person who promises the most for whoever follows them... then people get killed. We did it to our own kind, and we'll keep doing it because we never learn.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sandy had </span>
  <span>draped</span>
  <span> himself over the side of his bunk, peering at Marron from behind a dark curtain of navy hair. Silver eyes almost glowed in the dark, intent and worried. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>“What? This the part where you tell me I’m too sensitive?”</p><p> </p><p>“I don’t think feeling bad about <em>genocide</em> is oversensitive. I’m <em>military</em>, not heartless. Took the same intro to history class as you, dropped education for military cuz I didn’t have to <em>think</em> there. I just had to say yes sir and <em>shoot</em>.”</p><p> </p><p>They managed a smirk. “And now, you’re a colonel.”</p><p> </p><p>Sandy grinned. “And you have said more in the last minute than you’ve said all flight.”</p><p> </p><p>“Your fault. You’re easy to talk to.”</p><p> </p><p>“Ah, well-”</p><p> </p><p>Red and sirens flooded the room. Marron shrank down as their heart rate shot up somewhere into the hundreds. “The hell?”</p><p> </p><p>“Emergency alarm.” The man gripped the rails of his bunk and swung himself off the top, feet planted on the floor and silver eyes on Marron once more. “Get dressed. We’re needed upstairs.”<br/><br/>-</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. 6</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>/6\</p><p> </p><p>Texotic hit the emergency button, waiting for everyone to gather in the cafeteria. But the multiple stab wounds to his back clarified that this <em>probably</em> wasn’t his idea. His bulky body had been flung onto the table, the button held down by his weight. Blood pooled here and welled there, and the blue suit cadet was very much dead.</p><p> </p><p>“What in the fuck?” The commodore asked quietly as the lights and sirens continued to blare.</p><p> </p><p>The yellow grit her teeth and covered her ears. “Get him off the button! Please!”</p><p> </p><p>The medics were quick to move the dead man and lug him over to an empty table. Blood dripped steadily onto the floor, leaving a speckled trail of red. The alarm cut out, leaving a deafening ring as the cafeteria went quiet.</p><p> </p><p>The quiet broke with Beltz’s cuffs rattling as he pulled them out. “Marron, hand’s up.”</p><p> </p><p>The brown suit didn’t back away or raise their arms but spat, “Oh, fuck off.”</p><p> </p><p>Sandy put a hand on Marron’s shoulder and pulled them back a little. “Beltz, we’ve been over this. Marron is <em>human</em>. They were with <em>me</em>. They can’t have done this.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The black suit came closer a</span>
  <span>nd</span>
  <span> blinked in consternation. “You telling me only imps can hold knives? Cut the shit.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>“Captain Beltz, get your ass over here!” Surx shouted, face a mass of snarl lines and burning, beady eyes.</p><p> </p><p>“But, sir, I...” But he thought again and replaced his cuffs.</p><p> </p><p>The pink suit approached from near the body, blood coating his gloves, his lips tight in a frown. “Commodore, you need to see this.”</p><p> </p><p>He led the red suit to the air vent in the floor and shined a pen light onto it. “Whoever did this escaped using the ventilation system. Note the blood on the grate at the bottom corners opposite the hinge.”</p><p> </p><p>The red suit nodded and gave Jambon a nod and a pat on the shoulder. “Good catch.” Surx turned back to the crew and frowned at Beltz, brows low. “The culprit left via the ventilation system.”</p><p> </p><p>Churi sniffed wetly. “Marron’s small enough to fit, sir.”</p><p> </p><p>Geel gaped at the orange suit. “Holy shit, lady, so are me and Zils!”</p><p> </p><p>“You’re not a suspect, Geel.”</p><p> </p><p>Geel snapped. “Well, if the imp used the vent and three of us can fit in one, why the hell are you agreeing with Beltz! We already know Marron’s a human, so what is it!”</p><p> </p><p>“Little shit stabbed him in the back cuz she couldn’t take him one on one fairly!”</p><p> </p><p>“And Impostors don’t have bones! Anyone could fit down there if they didn’t have bones!”</p><p> </p><p>“Shut it! Both of you!” The commodore’s face was starting to match his suit. “This was a recent death with no suspects, and everyone’s got an alibi. We’re not where we were a few weeks back, so this vote is getting skipped. Am I clear?”</p><p> </p><p>Beltz logged a vote on his bracelet. “Crystal.”</p><p> </p><p>“We are skipping, you idiot.”</p><p> </p><p>The black suit stared holes into his commodore. “Sir, Colonel Sandy’s logs show he left Marron unattended for roughly twenty minutes. That’s enough time for her to come up through security, kill the cadet, and vent back down.”</p><p> </p><p>Churi voted as well, sneering at the brown suit still behind Sandy.</p><p> </p><p>Sandy blinked hard, brows to his hairline. “Commodore, that’s physically impossible.”</p><p> </p><p>But Beltz cut in with- “Then why’s it make sense, colonel?”</p><p> </p><p>Sandy narrowed his eyes. “It only makes sense to you, Beltz. But there’s not a brainslug’s chance in the lava of Polus that this was Marron. And I can prove it.” His head snapped to Lunti, and he said, “Lunti. You’re up.”</p><p> </p><p>The lime suit, Lunti, had been quiet since entering. Scanning the room and gulping, he took a step towards the leader and SIC. “Sir, permission to speak, sir?”</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Beltz grit his teeth </span>
  <span>at the nervous cadet</span>
  <span>. “It better be </span>
  <span>good</span>
  <span>.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The lime suit</span>
  <span>ed</span>
  <span> cadet stared back. “</span>
  <span>Sir, i</span>
  <span>n the t</span>
  <span>we</span>
  <span>n</span>
  <span>ty</span>
  <span> minutes that Marron was not with </span>
  <span>the colonel</span>
  <span>, they were </span>
  <span>being watched by</span>
  <span> me.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>“Excuse me?”</p><p> </p><p>“I logged everything from the colonel asking for my help down to him coming back after a shower.” Lunti’s cheek twitched upwards and fell back. “Colonel Sandy had asked that I let no one but himself into or out of the room he and Marron are sharing. I obliged this request and no one but the colonel went into that room for the time I was observing it.”</p><p> </p><p>The black suit’s eyes went wide, and he stepped forward with an accusatory stab of the finger. “You don’t answer to him. You’re not his lap dog, cadet!”</p><p> </p><p>“<span>Sir, the colonel asked for my help and I obliged, as these are peculiar circumstances. I had no issue with assisting him fulfill his duty.” The cadet</span><span> didn’t fight his scowl and looked Beltz dead in the eye. “</span><span>And, sir, t</span><span>here are no vents directly to sleeping quarters. All ventilation in sleeping quarters comes from slits in the ceiling and floors, sir.” Still not looking away, Lunti lifted his bracelet and placed his vote before falling back.</span></p><p> </p><p>Surx sighed. “Thank you, cadet Lunti. Marron? Do you have anything to add?”</p><p> </p><p>Eyes upon them, the brown suit spoke. “Check your logs for my daily report submission and the time for the emergency alarm going off. What’s the time stamp on those?”</p><p> </p><p>Surx pulled his tablet from his hip pocket and scrolled to find the report. “Time shows you submitted your report at 22:06, exactly six minutes after lights out. The alarm went off at 22:09. Unless you can teleport, Marron, then you’re off the suspect list.”</p><p> </p><p>Marron felt no satisfaction at seeing Churi wilt out of the corner of their eye. “Thank you, sir.”</p><p> </p><p>“Now, since some of you fail to follow basic instructions, I ask you now to vote… though might I add <em>I</em> can see who votes for who on my personal tablet, and I am already past the point of pissed off.”</p><p> </p><p>Many beeps and clicks later, the final display of the tally popped up.</p><p> </p><p>Three for Marron.</p><p> </p><p>Six skipped.</p><p> </p><p>None happy about it.</p><p> </p><p>Surx nodded. “That’ll do. Beltz, communications, now. Zils and Jambon, get the body out of here and run a sanitation protocol for the cafeteria. The rest of you are dismissed.”</p><p> </p><p>-</p><p> </p><p>“Well,” Sandy let out quietly in the room. He stripped off his tan suit and hung it on the hook across from the bunks. “That was a train wreck.”</p><p> </p><p>“Yeah.” Marron slipped the brown suit off their shoulders, opting to keep the pants on. “Good to know a third of the assholes on this ship want me dead.”</p><p> </p><p>The man frowned. “Marron.”</p><p> </p><p>The enby shook their head. “Whatever. It’s all bullshit.”</p><p> </p><p>“Yeah, it is, but don’t, uh…. Don’t be too beat up over them, y’know?”</p><p> </p><p>Still with their back to him, the brown suit hid a sniffle with a sad laugh. “Stars, it’s not…”</p><p> </p><p>“Hey, come on now.” The taller man breathed as he reached out. He lay a bony hand to Marron’s shoulder, voice lowered and calm. “Marron… it’s okay. It’s…”</p><p> </p><p>Marron shut their blurring eyes and wiped them with a shaking palm. “Fuck. It’s not okay, Sandy. I don’t know what to do at this point.” Their voice broke on the last word. “Stars, maybe I should just walk out the airlock and save them the fucking trouble.”</p><p> </p><p>The man spun Marron around and hunched down to be face to face. “N<em>ever</em> talk like that. Third of the people here are idiots, that doesn’t mean you give them what they want.”</p><p> </p><p>“All I did-” they choked, swallowed, tried again. “All I did was find a body, and now I’m on death row when a new one pops up. How am I-” Marron finally cracked under the weight of having been on the chopping block thrice and crumbled. “What the hell am I supposed to do?”</p><p> </p><p>Sandy grabbed the smaller one up into a hug without a seconds hesitation. He swayed slowly on his feet, eyes on the wall and chin on Marron’s ruffled, green head. “I dunno. Wish I did, though. Just let it out, eh? You keep getting the shit scared outta you, treated like a criminal, it’d make anybody cry.” He adjusted his hold and shut his eyes. “But… I’m gonna be going to bat for every time. So’ll Zils. Just stick with us. We’ve got you.”</p><p> </p><p>Marron figured it was fine to hug him back. They grabbed the back of his shirt with both fists and held tight. Thank the stars, at least they had Sandy and Zils on their side. It beat being alone… “’m sorry.”</p><p> </p><p>“Hey now, nothing to be sorry for. Promise. You know, three people wanting you out and gone? That sucks. It does. But there’s six who don’t agree. That’s good. That’s a passing grade!”</p><p> </p><p>Marron whimpered. “Til the next corpse.”</p><p> </p><p>Sandy kept rubbing their back. “Nah. You had Geel and Lunti going to bat for you. There’s two. Me and Zils? Another two. You even got the commodore on your side in all this mess. That’s at least five.” He smirked in the dark. “Besides… Surx is as mad as you are hurt.”</p><p> </p><p>Marron managed a snort from the muffled place against Sandy’s chest. “Beltz is screwed.”</p><p> </p><p>“Hope so. He’s a prick. You wanna sit down?”</p><p> </p><p>“... guess so. Just wanna sleep.” The brown suit pulled away and tried to smile.</p><p> </p><p>Sandy reached up and cupped their cheek, giving the damp skin a brush with the pad of his thumb. “I get it. And… don’t be too worried. I mean it. Okay?”</p><p> </p><p>Why’d he have to be so sweet? “Yeah. Okay.”</p><p> </p><p>Sandy grinned, all teeth and warmth. “Good. If you need me, I’m only a few feet up.”</p><p> </p><p>A wet chuckle. “Thanks, Sandy.”</p><p> </p><p>“Er… one more thing.” The tall man gave the lightest, quickest peck to their forehead and scampered off to the upper bunk. “Yup. That’ll work. Night.”</p><p> </p><p>Marron’s cheeks grew hot, not from tears but from fluster. “Ha. Goodnight.”</p><p> </p><p>Sandy chuckled from his bunk, and how could Marron not feel a little better and smile at the darkness. Under the covers, with the promise of safety overhead, sleep wasn’t hard to find.</p><p> </p><p>-</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. 7</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>/7\</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Morning was quiet, thankfully.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Sandy was already dressed when Marron rolled out of their bunk. The enby reached into their personal pouch and pulled out their comb. “Morning.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Morning!” He gave a forced grin. “How are you feeling today?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Mm… alive.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Good! Always good. Now, uh… Heads up for ya, I’m having a talk with Surx this morning, so for about, oh let’s say… thirty minutes, you’ll be without me.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>They didn’t pause combing their hair from matted moss to borderline chia-pet. “How will I go on?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You get to spend thirty minutes with Lunti!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Yay.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The tan suit shrugged, palms to the ceiling. “Now to be fair, he seems to like you fine.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>A low hum. “Maybe. But I won’t hold you up.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Well, either way, meet me in the cafeteria in thirty minutes. Might be longer, might be shorter, but I-” His bracelet beeped and his brows furrowed. “Oh boy. I needed to be up there ten seconds ago. Bye!” The door opened and the tan suit took off for the ladder to security.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Marron zipped their suit and met the lime suit cadet outside the door. They sure didn’t feel like eating, or logging info, or facing a crew of onlookers where a third of them wanted the brown suit dead.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Holy shit, that guy’s quick,” Lunti muttered before fixing his gaze on Marron. “So… what needs doing for thirty minutes?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Uh… usually Sandy and I coordinate our tasks for what has to be done, but if you have anything you need to do, I can tag along?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Sounds good, I got…” He looked down at his bracelet and squinted. “Plant duty. Never done that.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The brown suit turned for the ladder out and up to admin. “You’re in luck, I minored in agriculture.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>-</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Lunti had a lime suit, but he sure as shit didn’t have a green thumb.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“One more time, okay? When do you trim the leaves?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“<span>When they’re more than </span><span>half</span><span> brown!”</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Or?” They offered.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Lunti’s brow furrowed in thought. “The base of the leaf is yellow?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Good. Now you’ll be able to handle the basics if you get this task again.” Though considering the modern ships had entire greenhouses to supply oxygen, Marron wouldn’t hold their breath for Lunti in the plant world.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He grinned, scooping dead leaves into the chute. “Nice. Never got the hang of plants. You ever think of being a teacher?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>A smirk. “Nah. Too many people asking what a mux is.” <em>And</em> they didn’t like children.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Lunti blinked. “What <em>is</em> a mux?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Gender neutral form of mister or miss.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Right, yeah.” He shut the chute, peering at the archivist with a look they couldn’t quite read. “Marron, uh… you and Sandy are… cool, right?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>A blink. “Yeah? As cool as we can be, I guess?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Lunti smiled and nodded his head. “Good, good, good. I… uh, well. Listen. I’m saying this as a friend-”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Crew mate.” The correction was calm but instant.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Lunti didn’t even flin</span>
  <span>c</span>
  <span>h. </span>
  <span>“Fine, yeah, but… Sandy moved up the ranks at top speed, y’know? Promoted quick, but he’s…” The lime suit rubbed the nape of his neck with a grimace. “Dude got </span>
  <span>a reputation </span>
  <span>that the cadets on his side talk about</span>
  <span>. </span>
  <span>We’re not in the same branch and all but I got friends over in Planetary who’ve, uh, shared stories.</span>
  <span>”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“What <em>kind</em> of stories?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Lunti grimaced. “</span>
  <span>Nothing super bad</span>
  <span>, but a couple of Planetary cadets said Sandy’s a pervert. </span>
  <span>Just doing shit he didn’t ask to do. Y’know, guys being guys, I guess.</span>
  <span>”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>That… made little sense. “Could it, uh, be a different Sandy?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He scoffed and shook his head. “Nah. Sandy’s not a name you hear around Polus. I’ve met a couple other Lunti’s and Surx’s, but never another Sandy.” He deflated. “Or another Texotic.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The brown suit blinked. “Thanks for the heads up, but he’s anything but perverted, at least with me.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Don’t say I didn’t warn ya, Marron.” The lunkhead shrugged but didn’t return to his task just yet. “But I mean it. He tries <em>anything</em> with you, you tell someone and he’ll be <em>gone</em>.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>If Sandy hadn’t been the sweetest person after Zils, Marron might have believed Lunti’s warning. “I’ll keep it in mind, Lunti. Anything else I need to report?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Nah. Where you gotta be?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Cafeteria. Meeting Sandy there.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Let’s go. Heard it was pizza day.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Every day is pizza day.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Lunti grinned at them as they made their way to the cafeteria. “Not breakfast pizza! It’s got sausage and everything!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>But no sooner had Lunti stepped through the doors did the ones to cafeteria shut, with Marron locked out and Lunti locked in. “Shit.” They didn’t even know the cafeteria had doors! “Lunti!” Marron called out. “If you can hear me, I’m-” they dropped their hand and grabbed their bracelet. “Why am I shouting?” But a click of the button showed comms were down. The only thing the dumb bracelet could do without comms was report emergencies, and this wasn’t that. “Great.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Well… guess they just had to wait for the doors to open again.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Or. They would have. If the power hadn’t gone down a second after.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The brown suit grumbled, before turning back where they’d come from and heading towards electrical. “Fucking old tech crapping out every ten minutes. How’m I supposed to get shit done this way?” But they could fix the power and head back to cafeteria. The enby couldn’t see shit in the dark, hand out and fumbling. Truth was, Marron had no idea if the lights and power were connected, but either way the crew was in darkness.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Electrical’s doors were wide open, thank the stars. Marron flipped the panel open, eyeing the switches. Simple fix, just had to get the lights lined up. They supposed everyone else was stuck in another room-</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The </span>
  <span>sound of boots to floor made</span>
  <span> Marron </span>
  <span>pause</span>
  <span>. “</span>
  <span>Glad you showed up, but I got this.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“That a fact?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The brown suit’s hand froze over the last switch, and they turned.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Beltz </span>
  <span>stood</span>
  <span> in the doorway, </span>
  <span>dark and looming, tensed harder than the frozen planes of Polus</span>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“What the fuck.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Beltz reached to the side and fiddled with something on the wall, then stepped further into the room as the door shut.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The brown suit stood </span>
  <span>to back away, icy fear shredding their limbs </span>
  <span>as the captain stepped closer</span>
  <span>. “Stay back, st-stay the fuck away from me!” Panic took control as the brown suit backed into a corner. Everywhere was a corner when you had nowhere to run!</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“That what Bane said?” Beltz drew closer, eyes unseen in the dark but burning hard enough to feel. The tiny LEDs gave the smallest pinpricks into the deathtrap of a room. His suit an encroaching shadow that loomed and grit its teeth. “How about Texotic and Roxo? Probably tried to scream.” He reached for his hip and pulled something out. It clicked open in the dark. “You fucking bitch.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Beltz, you don’t have to do-” But a black hand grabbed the brown suit around the throat and slammed them back into the calibrator with a choked whine. Small hands gripped the one around their throat, begging, pleading, for the captain to stop and see reason.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“<span>You’re not gonna take anyone else, you hear me?” He grit his teeth at Marron and snarled, “I’ve gutted plenty of your kind, bitch. </span><span>You freaks can’t fool m</span><span>-” He froze, head jerking to the right, then back to the left. Something long and thin </span><span>from the vent retracted as sharply as it had struck</span><span>. Beady eyes watched but didn’t see, not really, truly see </span><span>what was ahead. A gargling wheeze,</span><span> and </span><span>Beltz’s</span><span> grip on Marron’s throat spasmed and came loose.</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span>Marron’s feeble pushing toppled the captain, his body limp and his knife clattering to the floor. Gasping, the world coming back into </span><span>focus and</span><span> a hand rubbing the print on their neck, </span><span>Marron blinked hard.</span> <span>The Impostor had… saved them? </span><span>No… saved them for last, or to let the blame fall on them again. </span><span>There’d be no way to get out of this one. </span><span>T</span><span>hey turned to the vent, ready for death at the hands of the </span><span>one who’d taken Beltz down</span><span>.</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>But… this didn’t make sense.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Sandy, their friend the colonel, was sticking out of the vent. His warm and bright face now a raging mass of snarl lines while his silver eyes glowed, fixated on the cooling corpse of Beltz. His spear tongue slowly retracting back into the cavernous maw that was his stomach, a hand to the floor and the other propping open the vent… he looked up.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Their eyes met. And just like that, Sandy was back to being <em>Sandy</em>.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Marron blinked and managed a weak smile at the man in the vent.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Sandy didn’t smile back. His gaze flicked to the corpse, then back to them… and he held out a hand. “Marron.” His soft and firm voice called out from his human mouth. The seam on his stomach was sealing shut like nothing had happened at all. “Can’t be here. Come. They’ll kill you. Please.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>... what the hell other options were there? Marron, careful of the blood pooling around the captain’s head, scooted over to Sandy and took the offered hand.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Thank you,” they whispered as they climbed down.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Shh…” but it wasn’t harsh, barely a sound. Sandy sank down and scuttled backwards, boneless and inhuman, as he lead Marron deeper into the ventilation system.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The vent fell shut.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>-</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. 8</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>/8\</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The vent into security opened a crack and Sandy peered out. “Door’s still shut. It’s safe.” He hopped out and turned to the vent, hand out to Marron.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Taking the hand and getting pulled out, the brown suit asked, “How’s it not dusty in there?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Heh, clean it when I can.” His smile, easy as ever, slipped. “Marron-”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The brown suit gave the hand they were still holding a squeeze. “Sandy, we’ll talk later, okay? Let’s, uh…” Let’s what? Pretend that nothing happened and their friend wasn’t the enemy on board? “Act like nothing happened until lights out. Can we do that?” Guess it was worth a shot.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He blinked. “You’re not, er… horrified?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“If you wanted to kill me, you’d have done it by now.” The enby smiled. “And you kinda saved my life back there.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Only kinda?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“<span>I could have taken him if he fought fair. I’m a feisty potato.” </span><span>The brown suit’</span><span>s smile faltered at the memory of the dead man in the next room</span><span>. “But… now what? They’ll find him, eventually.”</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Hmm… the electrical doors shut after you went in, so they’ll be closed for a minute.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Beltz locked us in. He was gonna-”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“<span>I know. I hear</span><span>d</span><span> his little speech from the vents.</span><span> But the </span><span>cafeteria</span><span> doors, </span><span>that’s all me. Guess he learned door locks in some higher-up class or something. I dunno, fuck him.</span><span>” He strode to the cameras and looked about the four screens. “Everyone’s still in cafeteria, so that means-” The security doors slid open, and the impostor </span><span>lead Marron out, still holding tight to their h</span><span>and. “Stay quiet and follow along.”</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>A nod, and out the door they went.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Sandy ran to storage and hid behind some unopened crates, Marron ducking next to him. A few crew ran by, not seeing the pair in the dark. </span>
  <span>He</span>
  <span> tugged </span>
  <span>them</span>
  <span> along to the electrical doors and put on his best confused voice. “Where’d everyone go?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Colonel, there you are!” Lunti said from somewhere ahead. “We got locked in cafeteria and I lost Marron when the doors shut on us.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Sandy grinned. “That’s okay, I found Marron </span>
  <span>sitting </span>
  <span>by the giant </span>
  <span>cabbage</span>
  <span>! Say hello, Marron.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Hi. I’m not dead.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Sandy snorted. “So </span>
  <span>dramatic. Now, the lights?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The electrical doors slid open, and the crew spilled in.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Never mind.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>A few clicks and the lights came back, making half the crew squint at the sudden brightness. The yellow suit let out a sharp gasp, facing the darkness behind the light panel.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Geel? You good?” Jambon asked.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Oh, stars, it’s the captain!” The yellow suit backed away from the darkness and covered her mouth. “Beltz… his head’s all fucked up-” And on the last word, she ran from electrical and vomited up breakfast in the hallway, holding herself up on a wall.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Surx surged forward, mouth agape at the sight of his SIC dead on the floor. A dark halo of blood pooled and spread across the tiles, reflecting the lights of electrical in off-color dots. “Ah… alright, everyone but the medics, out of here. Get your asses back to the cafeteria and stay put!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The remaining crew cleared out and doubled back without argument.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Voting was skipped. Tasks were completed. Nobody else died, and breakfast was canceled.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>-</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“So.” Marron sat on their bunk and twisted a stray thread between finger and thumb.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The tan suit kept his eyes on the floor. “I’m sorry.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Twisting paused. “Er… guess I’m eating my tablet.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Nah, that’d break your teeth. I like your teeth, don’t do that.” But Sandy’s humor felt forced and nervous, a perfect fit for how he looked.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The enby inhaled to steady themselves and said, “I have questions.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He swallowed and gave a nod. “That’s fair. Totally fair.” Sandy’s smile stretched taut and uncertain. “I’m just glad you’re not running to Surx about this. Thought you’d let me have it after all the… you know… impending death threats? And the corpses?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The enby </span>
  <span>frowned</span>
  <span>, more hurt than angry. </span>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Gimme a little credit, </span>
  <span>Sandy, you’ve had a dozen chances to kill me. </span>
  <span>Y</span>
  <span>ou saved my life instead.” They folded their arms. “You’re </span>
  <span>
    <em>also</em>
  </span>
  <span> the nicest person on this ship after Zils, </span>
  <span>and you’re usually the first one to say I’m innocent</span>
  <span>.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He smirked. “Your best friends with her, yeah?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“That lady is made of sugar and sunshine, no shit, you’re second place to her.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The man snickered and ducked his head. When he looked back up, he was still smiling. “Well… what do you wanna know?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Maybe a couple straightforward questions would be the best start. “How’d’you know Beltz was gonna hurt me?”<br/><br/>“I didn’t.” Sandy shrugged, </span>
  <span>folding his arms</span>
  <span>. “I was already in the vent </span>
  <span>for an ambush on whoever got stuck doing lights</span>
  <span>. When I smelled it was you, I was gonna turn around, but then Beltz got </span>
  <span>chatty</span>
  <span> and </span>
  <span>when he had you by the neck, uh… </span>
  <span>I… heh, </span>
  <span>I </span>
  <span>didn’t fucking like that.” </span><br/><br/>“Thank you, Sandy. For stopping him, I mean… I knew you would but…” 
  <span>The brown suit’s brows pinched, hone</span>
  <span>d</span>
  <span> in on Sandy’s stomach. “Can you eat with that one?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Yup!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Can you <em>talk</em> <span>with</span> that one?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Not in human languages, no, but I <em>can</em> do this.” His head fell back, mouth open and eyes rolling backwards. The seam on his stomach split open just enough for the tongue to slide out about a foot. The tongue aimed Marron’s way and gave a tiny wave before retracting back into the stomach. Sandy’s head snapped back up and he grinned. “I don’t <em>have</em> to look unless I’m hunting.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The brown suit fought a laugh. That was… halfway between fucked up and cute. “...how can you take the suit off if it can do that?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He grinned. “The beauty of biotech. I slip this bad boy on and it does what I need it to do. I take it off and it’s like any other suit.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Okay. What was your name before it was Sandy?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>His smile faltered, squinting. “Uh… well, you wouldn’t be able to <em>say</em> my old one. Jaw’s not right for it. Sandy’s nowhere close, but it’s not too shabby.” He rolled his neck with a series of pops and shrugged. “I only became Sandy a week before this excursion! It’s why I was late the first day. I didn’t know what was going on.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“How did you even… become Sandy?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“<span>Eh…</span><span> not too exciting. We weren’t duking it out on the moon or anything. Truth is, he pissed down the hole I was hiding in and I didn’t like getting pissed on. </span><span>I got a new face, he got the big munch.</span><span>” Sandy ran a hand through his hair. “The hair wasn’t my idea. I like </span><span>yellow</span><span> more than blue, I think.”</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Marron fidgeted with the corner of their blanket. “So… uh…” They looked up at Sandy then and drew the bravest breath they could. “You have his memories?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Mostly. Just the big ones. We had a wonderful personality mesh, close enough nobody would notice right away. Helps that your species keeps track of everything or my kind would be screwed at this gig. But I got lucky!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Is your species called Impost-er, never mind, of course not.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He pointed at the brown suit. “Again, wrong jaw for it.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“<span>Uh… the thing is, Lunti told me about </span><span>him-you-er...</span> <span><em>cadets</em></span><span> in Planetary told </span><span><em>him</em></span> <span>stories </span><span>about </span><span>the old Sandy</span><span>. And they weren’t… good </span><span>stories</span><span>.”</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Oh.” The impostor blinked, silver eyes to the floor and flicking about to find an answer. Sandy looked up, eyes wide. “<em>Oh</em>! You mean the sexual harassment.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Marron grimaced. “Well, when you call it what it is, it sounds worse?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“<span>Yeah, uh… </span><span>those were not fun to absorb, lemme tell you. </span><span>Sandy was </span><span>greedy</span><span> and </span><span>grabby</span><span> to the max</span><span>.</span> <span><em>Ugh</em></span><span>. </span><span>If that worried you, which it looks like it did, </span><span>I mean,</span><span> my species doesn’t really… do that.” </span><span>He blinked slowly. “I’m… not like that. And Sandy won’t be like that from now on, I mean.”</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Marron smirked, face hot. “The course on your kind’s biology wasn’t helpful at all. All I know is bones aren’t a thing!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“<span>Well…</span><span> biology and morality are a big thing for humans? My kind can be assholes without grabbing anybody by the bits. But our r</span><span>eproduction is…</span> <span>hehe, uh...</span><span>” His voice lowered. “</span><span><em>U</em></span><span><em>m</em></span><span>… save for a few times in our life cycle,</span><span> we’re </span><span><em>lumps</em></span><span>. </span><span>Big, </span><span>sexless</span><span> lumps that do little other than eat, </span><span>chat</span><span> and kill.</span><span>”</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Marron let out a breath they didn’t know they held. “Stars above, that’s… helpful.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Good!” His cheeks tinged with pink. “I’d like it if you weren’t scared of me, so I’ll happily go into details if-”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Nah, we’re good! We’re good!” But Marron couldn’t hide the laugh bubbling up inside. “I… do wanna know how you learned to blush, though.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He chuckled. “That’s easy as people watching and some reading. The real challenge is doing something the first time while copying someone’s personality and mannerisms.” His brows lifted. “If you hadn’t shown me how to do wires, I’d have been screwed for sure. Assimilation via visualization is the only thing that’s gotten me this far.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>A blink. “So you’re <em>not</em> colorblind?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Nah. But the real Sandy was. You just got lucky.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The brown suit swallowed. “So… you’re pretty cool with telling me all this.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“No reason not to. If you were going to turn me in, you’d have done it. Just like you said earlier, if I was gonna kill you, I’d have done it by now.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Marron’s hands tapped against the frame of the bunk, before the memory of really meeting Sandy popped back up, how his stomach almost roared against the back of their legs… “Sandy, were you gonna eat me?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“What?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“When you held me up for wires. Was that why your stomach was growling? Cuz you were gonna eat me?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I… that’s…” His lips drew tight, the bottom one disappearing to sit between his teeth. Best he could do was nod.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>But how could Marron be mad? “Sandy, don’t- don’t do that. Come on, you’re-” But they giggled at how pathetic that look was on the poor guy. “Stars, Sandy, I’m not <em>angry</em>.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He whined, chin wrinkling, and brows scrunched. “I’d never eat you <em>now</em>, Marron! I mean it! I-”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Sandy, it’s okay.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You sure? I can do puppy eyes harder if you’re not sure.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The enby covered their mouth and stifled a laugh.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I mean it, though. I’d never eat you now. You telling Beltz off after he screwed up your pronouns put you off the list. Not used to humans standing up to people bigger than them like that!” Sandy laughed softly as well. “That’s something else I like about humans. You guys can joke about anything and make the other person feel better. Gotta say, the focus on reproduction as humor is a hell of a learning curve.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Marron’s laugh tapered off. “Heh… I’m just glad there’s something left to like, I mean… considering what we did…” Staring up at the marker stars, they sighed so that they flattened, and arm over their stomach. “... Sandy?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Mm?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“<span>Is…</span><span> did we… wipe you guys out?” They blinked. “I-I wondered that… the stories about crews getting massacred and the Impostor </span><span>getting launched</span><span> into space. Did we… was </span><span>the war</span><span> really a genocide, Sandy? </span><span>With so many reports about Impostors stealing ships?”</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>The man was silent.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Sandy-”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I think you should get some sleep.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I’m sorry if that was too big of a question. I don’t wanna ask the wrong thing here.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Marron.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The enby swallowed and looked up from where they were, and found those silver eyes on them again. No theatrics or games, just the saddest eyes they’d ever seen.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Sandy stayed still for a moment and blinked. “I want you to promise me something.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“What?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“<span>Promise me we can try to be friends when this is over?” </span><span>He stuck a hand out to halt questions and sighed. “I’m taking no prisoners, I’ll tell you no lies about that. It’s not… </span><span>fun</span><span>, or clean, or beautiful, but I can assure you, if there were anther way, I’d take it.”</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>“… Sandy, I literally saw you murder Beltz and followed you into the vents.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“That you did. Self preservation is a bitch, though.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I mean… can we maybe make a deal?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He squinted. “What kind?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Don’t touch Zils. I don’t… I don’t give a shit about <em>anyone else</em> on board, but don’t go near Zils.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Oh! Yeah, I can do that. Never planned on that one, anyway.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Just like that?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“If you promise we can be friends, I promise I won’t touch Zils.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“<span>Promise.”</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>“There we go. See?” Sandy smiled warmly before climbing up to his bunk. “Not so bad.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Yeah…” Better not to overthink it right now. When already so much had gone on.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Night, potato.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Said potato shook their head and hunkered down. “Night, </span>
  <span>chompy</span>
  <span>.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Hey!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>But they both went to sleep smiling.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>-</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. 9</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>/9\</p>
<p> </p>
<p>With Beltz out of the way in a permanent fashion, Sandy was no longer tied to keeping Marron safe. This didn’t change the sleeping arrangements, but it caused a shift in the workload. Churi, the female cadet, had taken over as second in command.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>No one really cared, honestly. Not until she was given the role of dishing out tasks. Balance was upended for putting people all across the SKELD for weeks, and Marron was lucky if they saw Sandy anytime other than bed or meals!</p>
<p> </p>
<p><span>But it wasn’t something to complain about. It shouldn’t </span><span><em>have</em></span> <span><em>been</em></span><span> something to complain about.</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>But, sitting alone at a table and staring at a cup of corn chowder, Marron was rethinking not speaking up.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“There’s my favorite potato,” Sandy chuckled as he got close. He leaned on the table with one hand plastered to his hip, other propping him up. “Sad to say, I can’t stay long, but I wanted to say hi while I could.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Marron chuckled. “I’m good. You good?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“A busy boy am I, but I’ll see you… eventually. Promise.” His silver eyes flickered down to the corn chowder. “Your dietary choices however will always amaze me.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Don’t start.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Colonel.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>They both looked over to see Surx motioning for the tan suit to hurry up and get to the engines.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Right, right. Later, tater.” Sandy grinned bright as the sun and headed away.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“<span>See you at dinner, weirdo.” Marron smirked at their chowder and </span><span>went for another spoonful… or would have if someone hadn’t sat absurdly close to them where Sandy had just left from. “Can I help you, Churi?”</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I just wanna talk. Girl stuff, y’know?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>For fucks sake. “I’m not a girl. What do you want?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>A scoff. “Come on, don't bite my head off. You should be thanking me.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The gears slowed. “Thanking you for what?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Uh, getting you a break from that pervert, for one thing. Giving you a lighter workload, too. So where’s my thank you?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“So that’s what happened…” Chowder forgotten, the enby huffed out of their nose. “I didn’t ask for you to change things around. I know Sandy did some gross things, but he told me about them and how he’s working to be better. I can’t say other people see their mistakes and try harder to-”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The orange suit snickered. </span>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Stars, you really drank the koolaid on that guy. Do you even know what he did?” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“<span>Yup. And it’s gross. But, the t</span><span>hing is, </span><span>I actually </span><span><em>like</em></span><span> him. Still on the fence about </span><span><em>you</em></span><span>.”</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Churi rolled her eyes then. “Come on. Who calls someone they like a potato?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Marron glared from their food. “What do your friends call you?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“My name, like normal people do.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Some friends. Can’t come up with something funny or creative-”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“How the hell is <em>potato</em> creative?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You’d have to ask Sandy.” But she wouldn’t, because that wasn’t how the game was played.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Why ask him when you can just tell me?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Marron swallowed. “Why do you care so much about a nickname given to someone you don’t even know by someone you don’t fucking like?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The cadet glared and leaned back, mouth open as she worked out what to say. “</span>
  <span>Y</span>
  <span>ou got it bad for a guy who’</span>
  <span>s just trying to </span>
  <span>get in your pants</span>
  <span>. </span>
  <span>Pump and dump.</span>
  <span>”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Ew. </span>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Stop being nasty. What I do in the bedroom isn’t your business.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Just warning you, girl. He’s faker than the chicken cutlets.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>T</span>
  <span>he enby stirred their soup and scowled at the beige contents like it’</span>
  <span>d</span>
  <span> offer answers. </span>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Beltz fucked up my pronouns and look where he wound up.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Churi’s voice dropped. “Run that by me again?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Marron realized their misstep, felt their pulse lurch up a couple beats, tried to amend their mistake like the adult they were. “I’m s-”</p>
<p> </p>
<p><span>The orange suit </span><span>backhanded</span><span> their </span><span>chowder,</span> <span>so it splattered against Marron’s stomach.</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Never mind. Marron cocked back a fist and plowed it home into Churi’s pug nose with all their might.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Which was enough, if the thick bitch falling back like they had slapped her with a brick meant anything?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Holy shit-” was all Lunti said before Churi was up and ready to swing on Marron. The lime suit cadet had at least one brain cell, seeing as he grabbed the orange cadet around the middle and held tight. “Not worth it, not worth it, c’mon.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The commodore charged into the cafeteria alone, snarl lines deep across his face. “Hell are you all doing in here? I left you alone for two minutes and I get a call from…” He blinked. “Who even called me?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Geel, who’d </span>
  <span>abandoned </span>
  <span>her</span>
  <span> protein shake, spoke up. </span>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>I did. Churi was-”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The orange suit spat blood Marron’s way. “Crazy bitch attacked me.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Geel </span>
  <span>glared</span>
  <span>. “No, they didn’t. You </span>
  <span>threw</span>
  <span> hot soup on them</span>
  <span>. </span>
  <span>I saw you do it.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Fuck you did!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Lunti glanced over at Surx. “Sir. I can’t confirm what was said, but I can confirm Marron attacked Churi after Churi knocked their soup over.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Marron’s free hand covered their burned stomach. The one time the enby opted to not wear the top, this happened. </span>
  <span>“Knocked over? She dumped it on m-”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“All of you shut up.” The red suit pointed as he listed people off. “Churi, medic. Geel, with me. Lunti, take Marron to their room.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I got burns, asshole!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The commodore snarled down at the brown suit, “Then get your ass to medical and shut up.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“<span>Gladly.” The brown suit limped out of the cafeteria and towards medbay.</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The tan suit and the cyan suit were having an animated conversation. Zils had her arms crossed, and a brow cocked, while Sandy grinned with all his teeth at her. He looked ecstatic, </span>
  <span>w</span>
  <span>hatever it was </span>
  <span>they’d been going on about</span>
  <span>. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>But when Marron entered the doorway, the smiles stopped.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Jambon stepped out of the bathroom and shot the trio a look. “</span>
  <span>Why’s all the weird stuff gotta happen when I’m occupied?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zils got there before Sandy. “Stars, honey, what happened?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Marron’s pained scowl eased. </span>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Churi’s a cunt’s what happened.” </span>
  <span>They held up a hand and sniffed. “I got her back though.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“<span>Talk about a feisty potato.” </span><span>S</span><span>andy’s concerned stare hampered his joke.</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>“<span>Let’s get you some burn cream and a fresh shirt, okay?” Zils asked before leading their friend to a bed. “</span><span>Ice pack for the hand, too… </span><span>I’ll get the curtain.” She tugged the wave of fabric around the bed and Marron was sectioned off completely.</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>C</span>
  <span>huri hadn’t been far enough behind to offer any </span>
  <span>ease</span>
  <span>, but the blurry orange figure seen through the thin curtain was proof that Marron’s punch really had done little damage.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The cadet grumbled the whole way over. “Swear, if that little bitch broke my nose </span>
  <span>I’ll break her f</span>
  <span>-”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Jambon cut in before she could make the threat permanent. “You really wanna make threats when we’ve got a killer on board?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>A scoff.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“<span>Didn’t think so. Sit down and tilt your head back. Gotta get a look in there.”</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The orange suit got further away. </span>
  <span>A moment later, a tan suited hand stuck a roll of fabric, a tube of cream, and an ice pack into the crack up near the head of the bed. “Ta-da.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Thanks.” Marron took the items and peeled the shirt off, wadding it up so the mess was tucked inside. Now where to put it… “Sandy? You still there?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Yup.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Good. Can you, uh… get rid of this?” Marron stuck their hand around the curtain and felt the man take the shirt.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Consider it gone.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The brown suit was already applying cream to the redness on their stomach. “</span>
  <span>Thanks</span>
  <span>.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Sandy was out of the medbay all of ten seconds before Zils walked up on the curtain. “Marron? Can I come in?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“<span>One sec.” They pulled the shirt on and said, “Okay.” </span><span>Not that there was anything to </span><span><em>see</em></span><span>.</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>The cyan suit quickly stepped around the curtain and smiled. “You’re all done?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Just finished the burn cream. I’m okay.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“<span>Good. </span><span>Should have a numbing effect, like peppermint gum!</span><span>”</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>The enby cleared their throat. “So… you and Sandy looked like you were having a fun convo before I came in.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zils made an unsure noise. “Eh… kinda. He was asking me some stuff about… stuff.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“What kinda stuff?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The medic’s brows furrowed. “Uh… stuff </span>
  <span>that might be related to you</span>
  <span>?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p><span>A blink. “</span><span>You’re as</span> <span>sneaky</span><span> as a brick to the face.”</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>“<span>Marron, I’m serious! He… I think he really</span><span> likes you!” She said, green eyes bright. “I kinda told him to just go for it and ask you out, but he’s </span><span>nervous.</span><span>”</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>“<span>What, did he think I didn’t like men or something?”</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>“… maybe?” She squeaked. “B-but just… let him come to you about it? And turn him down then?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Who said I’m gonna turn him down?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Zils brows raised higher and higher. “Wait, </span>
  <span>really</span>
  <span>?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Marron pouted. “Come on, Zils. I have a type.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Crazy goober is your type?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Sweetheart Impostor was closer. “Guess so?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The cyan suit grinned a</span>
  <span>n</span>
  <span>d balled her fists up near her chest. She let out the tiniest, happiest squeak, before clearing her throat and regaining her composure as best she could. “Happy for you~” she sing-songed on her way out the curtain.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“<span>Don’t celebrate yet…” They hadn’t even discussed it. But they would. At bedtime.</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>-</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>B</span>
  <span>edtime came.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Once they were both ready for bed, the enby said </span>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Sandy, this is a weird thing to ask.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Go on.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Marron chuckled nervously. “Never mind. Too weird.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“<span>No no no, c’mon now. Let me judge if </span><span>i</span><span>t’s weird or not.” </span><span>He took a seat next to them on the bottom bunk.</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>“<span>So…</span><span> your species has </span><span><em>times</em></span><span> where they mate?”</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Yup. I’m not due for a while yet.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Due?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He snickered. “I’m not pregnant! I just mean I’m not going to be mating anytime soon.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“<span>Okay, okay. </span><span>So… uh.” Gulping, the enby managed, “Does that mean </span><span>dating and romance</span> <span>are</span><span>n’t… a thing?”</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Brows furrowed, the man blinked. “What gave you that idea?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I… Sandy, we’re not the same species. Like… you’ve hugged me, you kissed my forehead, you do all you can to help me and make me laugh-”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He drew back. “Should I not </span>
  <span>
    <em>do</em>
  </span>
  <span> those things?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“<span>I wanna know you’re doing them because they, uh, they feel right to do, not because you think you need to do them. </span><span>You don’t have to prove your humanity to me. </span><span>I already like you.</span><span>”</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>He still looked confused, but leaned back in. “I do them because I want to. I told you I people-watched and browsed online to know my enemy. But now that I know what they mean? I…” He shook his head. “I get it, I think. You don’t like men?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The brown suit sputtered. “Where did- I don’t care about- Sandy.” The smallish human sighed out of their nose. “<em>Sandy</em>.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“<span>Marron</span><span>?”</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>A hard blink. “Please tell me in plain English what </span>
  <span>
    <em>you</em>
  </span>
  <span> want our relationship to be.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Oh.” Sandy stared hard, then stood up from the bunk. “I want us to be romantic partners.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Marron covered their mouth and muffled the laugh bubbling away. They looked up and only laughed harder at the bewildered Sandy staring down at them. “</span>
  <span>I-I’m sorry, just- you turned into a robot for a second there!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Sandy blinked, then straightened out completely. “Beep boop. Greetings. I am Sandy.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You’re making it worse!” Marron wheezed as the man did The Robot.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I would like to pursue a romantic relationship with the potato on the bed.” His voice broke on the last word before he laughed as well and sat down again. “But I mean it. I don’t wanna rush or anything, so you tell me if we need to slow down or-”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Marron gave the man a kiss on the cheek.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He grinned back, all teeth and joy.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>-</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. 10</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>/</span>
  <span>10\</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>A </span>
  <span>month of experimental romance was, apparently, just what the crew’s resident potato needed.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Sandy’s presence made the world a little lighter, and knowing what he really was, such a serious secret and a threat to his life… it made Marron feel… important. Which should have been fucked up, but it wasn’t? Sandy was just… Sandy.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>And, if they played their cards right back on Polus, they could reintroduce Sandy as a changed man, maybe get the real Sandy’s record cleared up, have him apologize for past transgressions…</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Or not. It wasn’t up to Marron what happened next.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>But it was on the enby to keep themself nice and neat. The undercut that Zils had so graciously given them before takeoff needed a touch-up. No hair dye on board the SKELD, but the neon tuft of green hadn't faded out too much.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>But Marron made their way to the medbay, clippers in their pocket. They leaned into the room and looked for the cyan suit. “Zils?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Jambon didn’t look up from his tablet. “Bathroom. She’ll be out in a bit.” The device let out a low beep, and the medic frowned. “That’s odd.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“What’s odd?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He shook his head and set the tablet down. “Not important. Don’t worry about it.” He stood and stretched his arms over his head. “If Zils asks, I’m in the cafeteria.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The enby gave a thumbs up, and the pink suit left without hurry or a glance back. They took a seat on a bed and waited.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Zils popped out of the bathroom and looked to Marron with a blink. Then she grinned. “There you are!” She hopped over to the bed across from Marron and grabbed a canvas tarp that had been sitting there. The heavy fabric stiffly unfurled as she held it up. “Just washing my hands before </span>
  <span>giving you your trim.” The cyan suit wrapped the smaller human around the neck and tucked here and there. “Ooh, you’re getting shaggy.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The brown suit chuckled. “Yeah. And before you ask, yes I cleaned the trimmers.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>A blink. “Did you <em>sanitize</em> them?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“...no?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“No worries.” Zils turned around and stuck the trimmers into a small rectangular box with a green window in front. Two lights, one green and one red, flickered on top. “In goes thingy.” She shut the door and flipped a switch. Bright lights flickered inside the box and the red light blazed. A ding, and the green light came on. “There we go!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Marron grinned. “Just like that?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Yup! It’s old tech, but it works like a dream! Thank Jambon for that. He fixed it.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Cool.” Their brows furrowed. “Hey, he was having issues with the tablet on the table.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Green eyes narrowed. “Tablet?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“That one.” Marron pointed.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“<span>Huh…” But she shrugged and adjusted the settings on the trimmers. “You just hold still and I’ll get you all prettied up.” She got to work, the quiet buzz of the trimmers filling the space. </span><span>It was over in a few minutes, brown hairs littering the canvas sheet.</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zils undid the tuck around Marron’s neck, smiling at her handiwork. Folding the canvas up so the hair stayed inside, she asked, “So, how goes things with Sandy?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Marron ruffled their green tuft and felt heat creep across their cheeks. “It goes. We’re going slowly.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The cyan suit nodded. “Good.” She picked up the tablet and frowned. “I’m happy you’re happy.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“<span>You don’t </span><span><em>look</em></span><span> too happy?”</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Her eyes went wide and looked back up at Marron. “Oh, it’s not about you. Promise! Just medical stuff. Don’t worry about it.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The more people telling them not to worry, the more the enby felt they should.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>-</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Sandy, apparently, had a thing for fluffy hair. The two of them hadn’t been in their room for over five minutes before Sandy was staring at the green tuft. His silver eyes danced as he eyed the undercut with reigned in excitement. “Your pompadour got bigger.” He blinked. “How’d’you manage that?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Zils got the sides. I’m not shaggy as an old rug anymore.” Marron grinned. “You like it?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I-” He cleared his throat and gave them a shy grin. “Can I ruffle it?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Go for it.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He did. Long, icy fingers raked and ruffled, and the man himself grinned too-widely at the hair he’d had hold of. “So </span>
  <span>
    <em>soft</em>
  </span>
  <span>.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I showered after the trim. Gotta get the hair off or I’d itch like crazy.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He nodded dumbly, a quiet giggle churning up. “I’m sorry, you’re so cute.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Why’d you be sorry for thinking I’m cute?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Dunno. Cute’s used for human children and small animals. You’re an adult human, so I-”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Someone screamed outside.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Sandy recoiled and Marron stood. “What the fuck?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The tan suit pulled his top on. “Let’s go.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>-</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>T</span>
  <span>he sight in room eight was too much like the ones Marron saw in rooms four and seven.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Geel, still in her suit, had multiple stab wounds </span>
  <span>to the back.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>What confused the hell out of everyone, though, was that </span>
  <span>
    <em>Churi</em>
  </span>
  <span> was holding the knife.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Her eyes were wild and darting, standing over the corpse and hand trembling as it gripped the slicked handle. “I didn’t… this wasn’t me. I just pulled the knife- she was already dead! I just… I checked, and I pulled out the-”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Surx motioned for Lunti and Sandy to grab the babbling cadet.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><span>She backed away and aimed the knife wildly at the group, </span><span>k</span><span>eeping her pressed to the wall. </span><span>“No, no no no, I found her. I found her out here! I found her in front of my door that’s why </span><span>she</span><span> screamed! </span><span>No! No I screamed!</span><span> I didn’t </span><span>do this</span><span>! It wasn’t me!” </span><span>She pointed at the bloody handprints on </span><span>the floor</span> <span>and threw the knife down.</span><span> “She tried to knock! I heard scrambling! It wasn’t me!” The orange cadet was screaming now as she was grabbed about the arms and cuffed.</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Take her to the airlock.” Surx said, before turning around. “Medical, get a kit. Everyone else, back to your bunks.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Marron waited for Sandy, dark eyes on the wall and not somewhere more interesting.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The tan suit came back within minutes, already stripping off the tan suit and hanging it up. “Well. That sucked.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“<span>Sandy?”</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He sat beside them, brows low. </span>
  <span>“Yes, Marron?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“<span>Uh…</span><span> you… couldn’t have killed Geel. It’s not possible.”</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>He nodded. “Uh-huh. Geel wasn’t me.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Then there’s another impostor on the ship, isn’t there?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He nodded, brows up. “Yup.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Marron glared. “And you didn’t think I might need to know?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“No offense, but I really thought you’d figure it out sooner.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The brown suit glared. “What’s that supposed to mean?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p><span>Sandy shrugged. “Just that I’m not as good at this as you think I am? </span><span>If you thought I was able to do </span><span><em>everything</em></span> <span>that’s been happening</span><span>?</span><span> You… Marron, you had to know that half these deaths aren’t me, right?”</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>“<span>So I’m supposed to </span><span>just kn</span><span>ow?”</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I’m not saying supposed to, I’m saying… I don’t know! I thought they’d already have told you!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The enby’s scowl turned hurt. “Do they know not to hurt me? Or was… was that not part of it?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“<span>Marron, no!” Sandy hit his knees and grabbed the smaller human by the upper arms. “No, you’re not listening. Marron, </span><span><em>please</em></span><span>.”</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>“What. You tell them to… save me for last?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I thought they would have-” He halted and let out a soft sigh. “Marron. Please trust me on this. I really thought you knew already! When you didn’t panic at me popping out of a vent, I just…”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The enby blinked back tears. “I could have died at any minute.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I’d never have let that happen!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“<span>Stop.” </span><span>Marron took a deep breath. “We can talk about it for real tomorrow. I’m fucking tired and I don’t wanna fight on, what, </span><span>month</span><span> one of trying to have a boyfriend, okay?”</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The impostor withdrew and shuffled around the </span>
  <span>bed</span>
  <span>, climbing up to his bunk without a word.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>C</span>
  <span>rying quietly was harder, not knowing what to believe and not having anyone to tell. But not crying wasn’t an option.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>-</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. 11</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>/</span>
  <span>11\</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p><span>The next </span><span>day</span> <span><em>sucked</em></span><span>.</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Marron opted to ignore Sandy for the time being, </span>
  <span>unless absolutely necessary to speak with him</span>
  <span>. Until they cooled off and could talk like an adult about everything, </span>
  <span>that plan was likely for the best</span>
  <span>. So, the brown suit zipped through their tasks and </span>
  <span>kept their h</span>
  <span>e</span>
  <span>ad down.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>S</span>
  <span>o when the last task on their list came up as registering sample results in medical, the brown suit felt relief. Everything done meant they could relax a little. Take a breath</span>
  <span>er</span>
  <span> and </span>
  <span>have pizza in the cafe. Watch the stars go by, maybe have time to fire the lasers at passing asteroids-</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Marron.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The brown suit looked up. Sandy stood </span>
  <span>in the doorway of O2, silver eyes intent on the enby.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Mm. What?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He winced. “Er… I know you’re still mad at me, but, uh… well. They’ve got corn chowder in cafe today.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Already had lunch. Thanks.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Eh… yes. Right. Okay, I’ll…” He finished on a sigh and left.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The plant finally pruned and ready, Marron waited for the footsteps to fade. </span>
  <span>They counted down, to give it more time, before sighing and heading to the medbay </span>
  <span>through the cafeteria. </span>
  <span>The brown suit paused at Sandy at the other end of the hall. Must have vented. Only explanation.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He held up both hands but didn’t stand still, getting closer with silver eyes trained on the shorter person. “I’m not following you, I swear! I was heading this way and-”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“<span>It’s fine. I have one last thing and we’re good to go.” </span><span>They punched the button to open medbay’s doors and managed a smile towards Sandy. “We’ll talk when I’m done here. Promise.”</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>The tan suit swallowed and gave a nod, smile strained.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Marron turned… and froze.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Jambon lay on the floor with </span>
  <span>someone</span>
  <span> pinning him down. Blood pooled under his cooling corpse. </span>
  <span>T</span>
  <span>he person on top lolled their head back, eyes rolled backwards and mouth agape. </span>
  <span>T</span>
  <span>he tongue from their stomach drank </span>
  <span>and pulsed as it </span>
  <span>sucked</span>
  <span> fluids and organs with glee. Teeth</span>
  <span> undulated from the maw </span>
  <span>and clicked wetly as the impostor ate</span>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“<span>Uh…” The brown suit managed, feeling Sandy’s grip on their shoulder </span><span>as he shut the door behind them both</span><span>. “The fuck?”</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Zils’ </span>
  <span>head snapped over to Marron, and she blinked, </span>
  <span>eyes coming into focus</span>
  <span>. Her</span>
  <span> bright eyes danced back and forth between Marron </span>
  <span>and the pink body she’d been feasting upon.</span>
  <span> “Uh…” She </span>
  <span>stood</span>
  <span>, and her lower tongue retracted into her stomach. “Would you believe me if I said he attacked me first?” </span>
  <span>She grinned with her human mouth, as embarrassed as a child with their hand caught in the cookie jar.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“<span>Probably not, but either way.” </span><span>Marron glanced at Sandy, brows up. “Uh… </span><span>is </span><span><em>this</em></span><span> why you didn’t tell me who the other impostor was?</span><span>”</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>He hissed through his teeth. “… yeah.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“… <span>I’m sorry for being </span><span>shitty</span><span> to you last night.”</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Z</span>
  <span>ils made a sad </span>
  <span>noise</span>
  <span> and looked between the two of them. “You guys had a fight?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“He, this one-” Marron poked Sandy a few times in the rib cage, making him squirm- “This one thought I knew there was another imp on board. Hell, this one-” They gave him many more pokes- “Thought I knew it was you!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The tall man chuckled and pulled Marron in. “I didn’t think you’d believe me </span>
  <span>if I told you! And I kinda thought you already knew to start with? </span>
  <span>Best friend is an impostor! No wonder you didn’t rat me out when I got Beltz.</span>
  <span>”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The cyan suit sighed. “No, that’s all </span>
  <span>on</span>
  <span> me. I kept trying to find a time to say something, but we were both so busy and I didn’t wanna freak you out. </span>
  <span>Exposing myself wasn’t a smart move, especially on campus.</span>
  <span>”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Now the big question!” Marron smiled uneasily in Sandy’s embrace. “How long have you been Zils?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Longer than you’ve known me. Her parents are pleased as punch that their daughter finally got serious about college!” Her smile slipped. “They really loved her… but they’re mine now. They’ll never need to know.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“<span>I’m sure not gonna say anything.” </span><span>But the brown suit squinted down at the pink body on the floor. “But… what did you mean by he attacked you first?”</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Oh! Right!” Zils didn’t miss a beat as she pulled up her tablet. “You know that tablet he was messing with the other day?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Yeah?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“No clue what you’re talking about.” Sandy piped up, fidgeting. “Kindly fill me in.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zils blinked. “You weren’t here, but, my tablet has a biometric lock on it. It scans my thumb, it opens up. But Jambon there-” she gave his corpse a nudge with her foot- “Tried to get in with a numerical override. He failed too many times, so it locked for, like, an hour before he could try again.” She beamed. “But you came in for your haircut and he forgot to come back to it!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Marron squinted. “Why’s that what got him on the lunch menu?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The cyan suit grinned too wide for her face. “Because!” She tapped a few icons and pulled up several x-rays. She labeled each with crewman names, from </span>
  <span>Bane to Zils. </span>
  <span>She tapped her own name with a fingertip.</span>
  <span> “This one is of me but, uh, we don’t have bones.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Sandy raised a finger to make a point. “Technically, our teeth are bones, but they’re static, not fixed.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zils nodded, green eyes on Marron. “You know what a squid is?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“<span>... vaguely.” </span><span>They only existed as pictures and video. They weren’t creatures destined for the stars like hamsters and dogs had been. </span><span>Plankton only made it because they thrived no matter what happened.</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>“<span>Like that, but fewer bones. But!” She tapp</span><span>ed the x-ray again. “A bit of code moved here, a little editing there, and anyone without too much free time would think this skeleton is mine. I did the same for Sandy.” She quickly folded the tablet away and beamed. “No one will know.” </span><span>Her left eye twitched, and she gave a low hum. Green eyes flicked to the medbay doors. “But I think we’ve got company coming. Let’s scoot!” She hopped to the vent nearby and climbed in.</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Marron raised a brow at the vent and followed. “Did Sandy tell you about Beltz?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“He did! Talk about romance.” Zils grinned over her shoulder, boneless and sharp. “I was planning on getting Beltz alone and taking him out myself, but your new best friend got him!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Marron blinked and crawled after Zils. “</span>
  <span>New best… Zils, h</span>
  <span>e’s not gonna replace you.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I’d hope not. But he might be good company when I’m off on Polus’ northern moon next year.” Her head spun back around to face forward. “I have a whole four months up there! I’ll tell you about it when we get the SKELD sorted.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“<span>About that,” Marron turned and looked under an arm for Sandy, who was squatting under the grill of the vent and look</span><span>ing straight </span><span>up. “You good, Sandy?”</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>“<span>Shh…” His head jostled a little, and they could hear him sniffing. Medbay’s doors swished open, and before whoever was there could so much as gasp, Sandy launched out of the vent and quickly sat back down. “Got him! Yes! </span><span>That should </span><span><em>not</em></span><span> have worked!</span><span>”</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>“<span>Good job!” </span><span>Zils giggled as the tan suit crab walked their way. “Who was it?”</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>“<span>Lunti! Poor bastard. Nice fella, so </span><span>I </span><span>was quick!” </span><span>He righted himself and winked at Marron.</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>“<span>Well now, I gotta know-” the enby grunted as they rounded a sharp turn in </span><span>t</span><span>he vents- “who killed who?”</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Sandy chuckled from behind. “I got Bane, Beltz, and Lunti. Zils is better at ambushing than I am. </span>
  <span>We’re completely tied now!</span>
  <span>”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“<span>Tied?”</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>“<span>Roxo, </span><span>Texotic</span><span>, and Jambon,” Zils rattled off. </span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>“<span>Then who got </span><span>Geel</span><span>?”</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>“<span>Geel?”</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Small, mouthed off, threw up when she found Beltz in-”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“<span>Oh, </span><span>her!</span> <span>Yellow</span><span> suit?”</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>“<span>Yes. </span><span>Yellow</span><span> suit. Multiple stab wounds.”</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Oh, that was Churi.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“...what?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Zils sighed. “</span>
  <span>Churi was kinda… unstable after Texotic died. I was her doctor, so I would know. I think they were together, but… well, Geel did call him a boy toy. Guess Churi thought she could get away with it and didn’t have a plan at the end. Space madness is a bitch.</span>
  <span>”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Sandy coughed behind them. “That’s, uh, why I was confused you were asking about the other imp. You wouldn’t have asked me if you knew, and because it’s Zils! Uh… well…”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“... are you guys screwing with me?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You’ll never know.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Marron shook their head and asked softly in the dark of the vents, “Is it wrong that I’m numb to this shit by now?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Zils </span>
  <span>paused and turned to the left, stopping with a small hand to the wall. “Well… if it makes you feel any better, this isn’t what our species wanted.” She pushed hard until a loud click was heard and a wire panel opened up. She squinted in the dark. “At any rate, you were never on the chopping block, even if you didn’t charm that gremlin </span>
  <span>back</span>
  <span> there.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Hey! I’m chompy, thank you very much!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Yeah, okay, but… how’d I charm you, Zils?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The cyan suit giggled. “One of our first conversations was about how amazing my kinds technology was and how unfair it was that humans stole it. Every other human I’ve met is fine with plunder and slaughter, but you? Nah, you’re a sweet potato. I don’t eat those, anyway.” She grinned, all teeth and bright green eyes in the dark. “Marron, wanna see a magic trick?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Do I have a choice?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Nope!” Zils unplugged a red wire and swiftly put it back. “Ta-da!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Uh… bravo?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Overhead, echoing like a death-knell, the O2 sirens screamed an emergency.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>-</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. 12</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>/</span>
  <span>12\</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“<span>Marron,” Zils said as she looked up at the vent. The sirens blared on, but they could still hear her. “I’ll head up to fix the sabotage. You and Sandy head to the cafeteria. Just stay with each other, okay?”</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Got it.” The brown suit watched Zils pop up and head out of sight, then kept crawling. “Straight ahead?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Sandy chuckled. “Yup. You’re doing great.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Marron popped out of the cafeteria vent with a sigh and climbed out, Sandy already climbing free behind. The sirens died a second later.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“That was quick!” Sandy pulled himself up on his elbows.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Need a hand?” Marron reached out, and Sandy reached up… but paused. “Sandy?” His silver eyes were locked on something to his left, wide and unblinking.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The enby turned to look… Surx stood in the doorway. His left hand gripped something on his hip. “Marron. Step away.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Their heart dropped clear to their boots and the sound of the vent shutting met their ears.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The red suit glared hellfire at the tan suit, pulling free the stun gun he’d had. “Marron, get away from that thing. Now.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The enby swallowed, straightening up. “Sir, it’s not-”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Surx crept closer, eyes on Sandy.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The tan suit stood, face completely blank.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The commodore aimed the stun gun at Sandy. “Hands up, you filthy xerox.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The tan suit glanced at Marron, then back at the red suit, and raised his hands. “Surx, I know how this looks, but-”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You shut the fuck up!” He snapped, grabbing Marron’s upper arm and shoving them behind him.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The tan suit frowned. “Commodore, please just-”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>There was a click and a rapid set of chirps and Sandy’s mouth popped open, eyes rolled back. His stomach split apart in a monstrous scream as the probes plugged into his hip and shoulder. He fell to his knees and dropped forward, eyes and both mouths open.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Marron struggled in the man’s grip, but his fingers dug tight and he ripped the enby back.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You idiot! That thing ain’t Sandy!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Let go!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zils raced into the cafeteria and nearly tripped on Sandy’s unconscious body. She barely corrected herself. “Oh my stars, what-” Green eyes darted to the twin mouths and rolled eyes, then up to Surx. “Sir?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The commodore jerked Marron’s arm and said, “You go near that thing and you’ll get zapped next.” The red suit sneered and let the enby go.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>They ran to Zils and hugged tight, heart hammering at how badly this had gone. They didn’t know if they were about to scream or vomit. Maybe both.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He strode forward and gave the unmoving creature a kick. “Bastard thought I couldn’t tell. Shouldn’t have stolen my grandson.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“<span>Grandson?” Marron rasped in Zils’ arms. How did Sandy miss a detail that </span><span><em>big?</em></span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Surx pulled free the cuffs on his belt and pinned the tan suit’s limp arms behind his back. “My grandson doesn’t eat meat, and he sure as hell doesn’t show up late to everything. I taught him better…” The commodore cleared his throat and hoisted the impostor from the floor. He ripped the studs from the creature’s body with his free hand, the metal plugs retracting and resetting with a quiet beep. “Zils, you put Marron in the brig.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Why the brig?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Fraternizing with the enemy.” His glare sent a wave of nausea through the brown suit. “Then you head up to the trash chute and help me toss this thing. Need a witness. Not gonna start until I get one. We do shit by the book.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The cyan suit nodded, grip on Marron tightening. “Yes, sir.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The red suit gave the impostor a jerk, making him grunt, and dragged him into the trash room.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The medic covered Marron’s mouth and walked them both away from the trash room. She pulled her hand back and made a shushing gesture.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Marron looked up at Zils, blinking back tears. “What the hell do we do?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zils sighed, and her frown grew tight. “I don’t know. He’s expecting me. If I try anything and fail, he’ll send us both out…” Green eyes squinted.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The brown suit sniffled. “... I can’t let him go.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You might have to.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The enby scrubbed their leaking eyes and sniffed hard. “Not gonna.” Dark eyes fixed onto green, and their voice dropped to a growl. “What’s in your medkit?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>She gave her friend a soft, worried smile. “You can’t be-”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Zils.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The cyan suit blinked, then her grin grew broad and ravenous.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>-</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>S</span>
  <span>urx set the impostor on the floor without ceremony. The creature had stirred, but barely. The commodore sighed, voice low and eyes on the doors out of the ship. “...you know, most ships just launch your kind into space. Ain’t no funny vestibule for you to brace yourself. Just icy darkness and a freeing death.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Sandy said nothing.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The red suit gave him a small kick to the stomach, earning a grunt but not much else. “I had to bring my own stunner on board. No weapons for crewmen, but what I don’t tell Mira won’t hurt nobody, save for you.” Another kick. “Zils better get her ass in here. I’m sick of looking at you.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Sandy gulped, rasping. “… s… same, sir.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The hardest kick yet. “Don’t sir me, xerox. You only got this far cuz my old ass got soft.” The red suit snarled. Where the hell was the medic?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“... soft.” The tan suit arched and coughed up something wet and dark. “You were never soft. Learned a lot when I took your grandson. Not enough. Didn’t think it mattered when your name crawled out of his brain. He didn’t like to think of you.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Shut up.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I absorbed a little about you cuz… hehe… it’s funny. Real funny. I can fish out anything about you I want from his memories… none of it good.” Sandy turned his head to stare dead at Surx, silver eyes burning. “Your grandson hated you, Shelby. Wanted you purged from everything he did. He hated how hard you pushed him to join a branch and how pissed you got when he picked planetary.” The impostor grinned, eyes unfocused. “The hell kinda middle name is Jennifer? Shelby Jennifer Surx-” His taunt cut short when Surx dropped to one knee, the joint sharply planted into his back.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The red suit pressed the stun gun to his neck. “You want another jolt, you piece of shit? Wanna drop dead before the cold gets you?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“It beats listening to your tough guy crap,” he grunted. “Wanna hear something funny? Actually funny? Beltz coulda lived longer if he’d played nice.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The lights went out. Even the emergency ones. The commodore stood, looking down the hall to electric. The trash chute wouldn’t open if the power was down. Surx glanced back at Sandy. “You move, you’re dead.” He left the impostor for electrical, stomping away.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Already am, gramps.” He couldn’t stand up if he tried. His mouth ran like a river, but his legs had locked tight as his lower mouth. Cuffed and fried, he was helpless. The impostor blinked in the dark and paused. He gave a small sniff and blinked hard at the smell he’d caught.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Shh…” the lights came on with a bright flash.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The tan suit swallowed hard as a tiny figure climbed onto a crate and crouched into a deeper corner. The lights stung his eyes, but he quickly took his focus off the figure.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Surx came back and clicked on his wrist radio. “Zils, report.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“<em>On my way, sir. Marron didn’t go without a fight.”</em></p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Figures. Just get up here so I can launch this thing.” The radio clicked off. The red suit turned on his heel to face the impostor, squinting. “Hell are you smiling at, xerox?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Sandy didn’t get to answer.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Something hurtled into Surx’s back and grasped a handful of thinning gray hair. Legs wrapped around his middle and held firm. The red suit reached up and gave the hand a twist, only for something sharp to stab angrily into the side of his throat. The stabber pulled the scalpel free and made a couple more short, hard jabs and red spurted and leaked from the old man’s neck.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Surx let go of the arm and clasped both hands to his throat, wheezing and shocked as he fell back, pinning the person who’d tackled him underneath.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The assailant picked up where they left off, going for eyes, face, hands, anything they could, and they didn’t stop until the man on their legs went limp. Blood, dark and thin, ran and welled from multiple stab wounds, and Marron forced him off with an angry groan.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Surx slipped into oblivion in a puddle of his own blood.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>As for the other man on the floor…</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Sandy watched his mate in morbid fascination, grin stuck tight and bright as the sun above Polus. “... holy shit. That… that should not have worked.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Marron dropped the scalpel and ran to Sandy. Blood left flecks of scarlet on their cheek and matted some of their hair. They got to work on his cuffs and looped an arm over their shoulder, charging out of trash and through the cafeteria to medbay. “How’re you feeling?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Meh… kinda in love, after that heroic rescue of yours.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Thank Zils for the scalpel.” The enby hung a left. “She didn’t stop me, but she didn’t approve.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“But she gave you a weapon?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Borrowed. Dunno if she’d want it back.” Another left, and they were in the medbay.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>A cyan suit greeted them with the brightest grin, bouncing on her boots. She let out a squeal and clapped a little. “Oh my stars, you did so good!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The brown suit rolled Sandy onto an empty cot, and they froze. “Uh… where’d the bodies go?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I got hungry.” A pause. “Kidding! They went to the morgue!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Sandy blinked groggily from where he lay. “There’s a morgue?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Yeah! Where do you think the bodies went?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p><span>A limp shrug. “Thought you got hungry.”</span> <span>Sandy let himself go limp and sighed. Silver eyes fixed onto Marron. “Marron. What you did was… stupid. Incredibly stupid.”</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You’re welcome.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He pointed… somewhere. “I mean it. You shouldn’t have risked it.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“But it worked.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Yeah, but-”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Just say we’re even now?” The enby ran a hand through their hair and winced. “Ew. Are you good if I take a shower?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The tan suit frowned. “Dunno. Am I?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Marron leaned down and gave him a kiss on the forehead.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He flushed red and grinned, turning away with a chuckle. “Jeez, all that for me?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zils cleared her throat. “Not that you’re not both adorable, but Marron needs a bath and Sandy needs medical attention.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Right, right.” But the brown suit gave Sandy a pat on the arm before leaving.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The two impostors watched the enby go, and Sandy turned to fix Zils with a glare. “Why the hell did you let them do that?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>A shrug. “Why not? Mighty small is still mighty.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Surx could have killed them and then what would you do?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Kill Surx, I guess.” She opened his suit and readied a swab. “But I knew they could handle it if I let them go. If I went after Surx and got zapped, Marron would be all alone with him, and I don’t want to think what humans might do to our favorite potato if they were trialed for fraternizing!” A dab at the angry, purple mark where the node had hit. “You don’t <em>really</em> think I’d endanger my best friend, do you?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He huffed. “Maybe.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>She smirked. “Well… think of it this way. Now, we’re tied forever. And Marron can play catch-up!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“<span>I don’t </span><span><em>w</em></span><span><em>ant</em></span><span> them to </span><span>p</span><span>lay catch-up,” he whined, giving a little kick with the one leg getting feeling back to it. “I want them to be my sweet potato and never have to deal with this shit.”</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Hm. Too late now.” Zils grinned and went to work on Sandy’s hip. “So… how cool was the attack?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The tan suit sighed wistfully and smiled. “</span>
  <span>
    <em>Sublime</em>
  </span>
  <span>. Surreal. Brutal and delicate and so many stab wounds.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>She giggled. “I am gonna have so much fun looking at that corpse! I can’t wait!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>-</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. 13</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>/</span>
  <span>13\</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>SKELD Status Report</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>03-11-2493</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>
    <em>
      <span>On this excursion of </span>
    </em>
  </span>
  <span>
    <em>
      <span>five</span>
    </em>
  </span>
  <span>
    <em>
      <span> months, two weeks, and five days, a crew of thirteen was given the simple aim to retrieve the SKELD and return it to the ownership of Mira HQ. The excursion was led by </span>
    </em>
  </span>
  <span>
    <em>
      <span>commodore Shelby Surx, co-lead by captain Amadeus Beltz. Supervised by colonel Sandy </span>
    </em>
  </span>
  <span>
    <em>
      <span>Surx</span>
    </em>
  </span>
  <span>
    <em>
      <span>-Baxter and documented by Marron </span>
    </em>
  </span>
  <span>
    <em>
      <span>A</span>
    </em>
  </span>
  <span>
    <em>
      <span>lbornozii</span>
    </em>
  </span>
  <span>
    <em>
      <span>, </span>
    </em>
  </span>
  <span>
    <em>
      <span>sent to Mira HQ directly upon wi-fi re-connection.</span>
    </em>
  </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p><span><em><span>Of the thirteen people sent on this excursion, there were three people who were not what we believed them to be. At some point prior to the excursion, captain </span></em></span><span><em><span>Amadeus </span></em></span><span><em><span>Beltz, </span></em></span><span><em><span>c</span></em></span><span><em><span>adet Churi Filozov, and repairman Glass Mimidae, were replaced by the species we know as </span></em></span><span><em><span>Imposters, scientific name being</span></em></span> <span><em><span>Nommus Xeroxus</span></em></span><span><em><span>. Without the quick thinking of Colonel Sandy and the sacrifice made by Commodore Surx, I would not be alive to relay this message to you now.</span></em></span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>The events are in order to the best of my ability. It is with deep regret that I must relay that the surveillance system could not be repaired in any capacity.</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>Day one on board the SKELD resulted in the death of Bane Frankl, a trainee sent for repair of the SKELD. Their death occurred in electrical when a sabotage locked them in with one impostor. Cadet Lunti Jones was falsely accused after finding the body and was sent out of the airlock in a seven-to-four vote.</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>Glass Mimidae, the first Impostor to be caught, was found standing over the body of our lead medic, Jambon Regalia by Colonel Sandy and myself. With our testimony and the bountiful evidence, Glass was sent out of the airlock in a unanimous vote. For two months, no further deaths occurred.</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>We found Geel Hart </span>
    <span>and </span>
    <span>Texotic </span>
    <span>Quartz </span>
    <span>in navigation, the result of a double kill by the remaining impostors. No one crewman received enough votes to be sent out of the airlock.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em><span>Cadet </span><span>Churi </span><span>Filozov </span><span>killed our </span><span>radiation specialist, </span><span>Roxo </span><span>Chi, </span><span>in the reactor. </span><span>H</span><span>er story fell apart quickly when our secondary medic, Zils Pith III, </span><span>confirmed that Churi was not in the area she specified </span><span>prior to going into the reactor, showing the use of the SKELDS ventilation system </span><span>as the only way she could move that quickly.</span> <span>Churi</span><span> was sent out of the airlock after a unanimous vote.</span></em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>This left our crew shrunken by more than half, with captain Beltz as the only impostor remaining. Once more, no deaths occurred for an extended period.</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Beltz made to sabotage the oxygen system in order to get one of the remaining crew alone. He did this with me, Marron, before I could make it to oxygen. He attempted to snap my neck, </span>
    <span>but </span>
    <span>he failed to see that I wasn’t alone and was injured by colonel Sandy. Beltz escaped into the ventilation system and remained there.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p><span><em><span>Our only option was to don our helmets and kill the oxygen completely. Beltz held out for close </span></em></span><span><em><span>to</span></em></span> <span><em><span>six</span></em></span><span><em><span> days before he had to fix the oxygen himself, having no way to locate and affix his helmet without exposing his location. </span></em></span><span><em><span>Colonel Sandy tackled and cuff Beltz in oxygen, using the cabbage as a hiding place.</span></em></span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>During transport to the airlock, held by the commodore and the colonel, Beltz head-butted the colonel in a last-d</span>
    <span>i</span>
    <span>tch effort to get free and take back the SKELD. </span>
    <span>In doing so, he caused Sandy to lose his grip.</span>
    <span> The commodore ordered colonel Sandy to close himself and Beltz in</span>
    <span>to the trash room,</span>
    <span> and seeing no other option to protect us that remained behind, </span>
    <span>Surx </span>
    <span>sent himself and Beltz into space.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>This mission has no saving graces, no positives, and no purpose. We lost too many lives in order to retrieve a dated vessel that could have served better </span>
    <span>as </span>
    <span>a relic in the skies. </span>
    <span>I would call this excursion a failure from the senseless loss of human life alone.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>Regards,</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Marron Albornozii</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The brown suit pouted at the screen. “This look okay to you?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The impostor they’d been leaning against pe</span>
  <span>r</span>
  <span>ched his chin on their shoulder and squinted. “It… looks like words.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Sandy, please tell me you can read.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“How rude of you! You and your four-point font!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“<span>Eight point.” </span><span><span>A </span></span><span><span>huff. “I’ll just send this to Zils, then. She’ll have an opinion other than making fun of my font size.”</span></span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Sandy chuckled and gave the human in his arms a squeeze. “Aw, don’t be like that.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>They wiggled and hit send. “Be like what?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“<span>A grumpy potato.”</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>“<span>You like the grumpy potato.”</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Never said I didn’t. There you go, putting words in my mouth.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“...which mouth?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Th-” He blinked and looked up at the door. “We got company.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>T</span>
  <span>here was a thumping of tiny boots across the floor and their door opened to reveal Zils, eyes wide and tablet in hand. “Did you send this yet?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“<span>Uh…</span><span> were you just outside?”</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>“<span>Finished my shower. Now, did you </span><span><em>send</em></span><span> this?”</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>“<span>No, uh, I wanted it proofread. </span><span>We’re not gonna be close to Polus for another few weeks.</span><span>” They frowned. “And before you ask, we’re clothed.”</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The medic ignored that last part. “Okay. So. You need to add that Surx’s tablet was lost with him in space. I already destroyed it, but you need to make sure those bases are covered.” She pursed her lips. “Say Texotic and Geel were a </span>
  <span>
    <em>supposed</em>
  </span>
  <span> double kill.” She squinted at the tablet and tucked it under an arm. “</span>
  <span>Know what? Lemme give this a closer look. Send it back to you with edits and suggestions, then you can send it.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Marron sighed. “Is it that bad?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Not at all! But if I look at it from a medical point of view, I can add some details that’ll make some of this more believable. Not like it’ll matter up at Mira.” She shot Sandy a tight smile. “Remember! No potato omelets.” She backed out of the room and the door shut again.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>T</span>
  <span>he enby glanced at Sandy. “... potato omelets?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“<span>Oh, uh…” Sandy managed a blush. Maybe not completely fake. Silver eyes glanced to the side. “So… Zils threatened me with a neutering if I laid eggs in you.”</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Marron </span>
  <span>spluttered and</span>
  <span> turned so the man and they were chest to chest. “You lay eggs?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Species? Yes. Myself? No. Can’t do that. Born that way.” He ruffled the green tuft and grinned. “I’ll never get tired of the pompadour.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“<span>I’ll never get tired of you playing with it.” They nestled in and smiled in the dim room. “Though… question.”</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I’m not in season. No omelets for you.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>A light slap to his collarbone. “Nah, I know. I mean about Zils and Mira?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“What about it?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“She said it wouldn’t matter what the report said?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Oh. Uh… well, my sweet potato, would you like to know a secret?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“… maybe.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Well!” He chuckled, and it made his throat move, but not his chest like it should have. “Mira is your HQ, but… not everyone up there is a human.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The enby looked up. “Wait, for real?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“As real as real can be!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“... what percentage?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Guess.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Fourteen?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Higher!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Eighty-two?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Lower.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Fifty six?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Close enough. Fifty-nine.” He wrapped Marron in a hug. “Trust me, Marron. Once we have control back, we’re gonna do things our way.” Sandy shut his eyes and smiled against Marron’s fluff. “And our way is… decidedly less genocidal.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“How much less?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He chuckled and growled quietly, “We are not the first interspecies couple. I wouldn’t have pursued you as a mate if it were, like, forbidden.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The enby smiled and cuddled into his arms. “I mean… last guy who threatened my life got lobotomized, so I think we’ll be okay.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“And the last one to go for me got, er, how many stab wounds?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Fourteen.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Heh, spicy potato.” He hummed to himself, bright eyes on the bunk above. “Huh.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“What?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“The stars drawn up there? They’re not just random.” His smile grew soft. “They’re a map.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“To where?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He shut his eyes. “Home. My kinds home.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Isn’t that Polus?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You call it that. We call it, uh…” Sandy’s stomach rumbled. “Er, something like that.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“... Sandy?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Potato?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Has my stomach ever said something to- why are you laughing?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The man covered his mouth to muffle his cackle as best he could. “You’re adorable!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The enby pouted but laughed back. “And you’re </span>
  <span>
    <em>sexy</em>
  </span>
  <span>.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>His laugh cut off, and he grinned. “Am I?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“... for a squid, I mean.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Hey!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>But they were both giggling and warm in each other’s arms.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Sandy, new question.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He blinked.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“What, uh… what do we wanna do about living arrangements?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Er… what do you mean?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Well, do you want to stay separate for now and move in later?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Thin fingers ruffled the pompadour. “Well… might be good to hold off to make it look less rushed? I mean, some humans in military get married after a year, some just… don’t.” </span>
  <span>He shut his eyes and sighed. “And it might look better for us both if I tried to fix some of what old-Sandy did.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Marron hummed at the preening. “It’ll give us time to plan if we wait.” The enby grinned. “I have a hamster and a few house plants. You’re gonna like the hamster.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“This hamster have a name?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Guess.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Er… Chris?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>They sat up. “The hell?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You said guess!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Her name is Meatball!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“<span>You let me have one guess!” Sandy leaned in and butted their foreheads together. “</span><span>But I can’t wait to meet her. Is she cute?”</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Sandy, she’s a rodent.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“… that tells me nothing.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Well, she’s about a year old, and hamsters on Earth lived to about two or three, but on Polus they-” There was a low rumble, and Marron’s stomach made itself known. They blinked. “Uh… you hungry?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Kinda.” He lit up at the idea he hatched. “Ooh! You wanna see me eat with my lower mouth?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“<span>Do I?” They rolled off of Sandy and planted their feet on the floor. “... wait. What day is today food-wise?” They pulled up their tablet and checked the menu. “Okay, cheese pizza, </span><span>breakfast pizza</span><span>, corn chowder, </span><span>fruit cocktail, walnut brownies</span><span>...” A pause, then Marron gave Sandy a cheeky grin. “Lab-grown chicken cutlet with veggie medley.”</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>He sat up. “Better that than corn chowder! I can’t wait to try it with my real mouth.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>A squint. “Does your top mouth not have taste buds?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Not as well as the lower.” He winked and shimmied his way out of the bunk. “You could feed me like those old clips of dolphins at the zoo!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>How could Marron say no to dinner and a show?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>-</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>End Transmission.</b>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thank you all for reading! I don't know if I'll ever return to this universe, but it was a fun little exercise if nothing else.</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Saturday Updates. Stay tuned if you feel so inclined.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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